We have reached the present day.
Just one trade has been made by Jed Hoyer & Co. in 2024 thus far (it’s only been a month!), but it might end up being extremely important.
January 11: Jackson Ferris and Zyhir Hope were traded to the Dodgers in exchange for Michael Busch and Yency Almonte.
I must admit that when this deal was done, I truly knew very nothing about these guys, save from a cursory understanding of Almonte.
Clearly, Busch has the key to the transaction. Out of North Carolina, he was the Dodgers’ first-round selection (31st overall) in 2019, and he has completely destroyed minor league pitching. In just 98 games at Triple-A Oklahoma City the previous year, he batted.323/.431/.618 with 27 home runs. After that, he had a difficult 27-game trial with the Dodgers. Stopped by Freddie Freeman at first base, he looked like a solid candidate for a trade, which is exactly what occurred.
If you haven’t read Josh’s far more in-depth post about Busch since the deal, you really should.
Busch is likely penciled in as the Cubs’ first baseman this year. He’s 26 so it’s time for him to produce at the MLB level. He might also wind up serving as the DH from time to time. If he can hit like he did in the minors and play a passable first base, this is a big win for the Cubs.
Almonte has alternated good and bad years. He’s pitched well in even-numbered years and poorly in odd-numbered years. Yes, I know that’s irrelevant. Last year he posted a 5.06 ERA and 1.396 WHIP in 49 games for the Dodgers, after being very good for them in 2022. Injuries could have been a contributing factor. He’s under contract for $1.9 million in 2024, which if he can pitch the way he did in ‘22, could be a real bargain and great addition to the bullpen.
Ferris and Hope are both very young. Ferris was the Cubs’ second-round pick in 2022 and made 18 starts at Low-A Myrtle Beach last year with a 3.38 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 56 innings. That’s an average of only a bit more than three innings per start, and Ferris is only 20, so what he’ll do going forward is anyone’s guess.
