The Chicago Cubs have landed another starting pitcher, and it has cost them a top prospect.
After acquiring left-hander David Peterson from the New York Mets in June, the Cubs and Mets reached a deal on Monday to send right-hander Clay Holmes and outfielder Tyrone Taylor to Chicago, the team announced.
In return, the Mets received infielder Jefferson Rojas, currently listed as the No. 2 prospect in the Cubs organization by MLB Pipeline.
Holmes is currently on the 60-day injured list but has been on a rehab assignment and is on the verge of returning from the right fibula fracture he sustained from a comebacker on May 15. He had been stellar for the Mets otherwise, owning a 2.39 ERA in nine starts. Since moving to the rotation for the first time in his big-league career prior to last season with the Mets, Holmes has a 3.26 ERA and 127 ERA+ over 218 1/3 innings.
Just as Peterson has benefitted from leaving the Mets to pitch with the game’s best defense behind him, Holmes and his high groundball rate should also benefit from the elite group.
The 33-year-old holds a $12 million player option for 2027, which Holmes will likely decline to pursue a multi-year contract in free agency.
Taylor gives the Cubs a right-handed bench bat, and he can handle all three outfield spots. He spent parts of five seasons (2019-23) playing for manager Craig Counsell in Milwaukee. In 67 games for the Mets, Taylor hit 10 home runs while batting .241 with a .290 on-base percentage, .794 OPS and 116 OPS+.
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The Cubs paid a hefty price to acquire Holmes and Taylor in essentially a move for rentals. Rojas impressed in big-league camp this spring, particularly his power. Rojas, 21, posted a .270/.339/.461 slash line with 15 home runs — already a career high — and 19 doubles at Double-A Knoxville this season.
In a corresponding roster move, the Cubs designated left-hander Luke Little for assignment. Little pitched one major-league inning for the Cubs this season and had a career 2.93 ERA in 40 games (one start) with the Cubs since 2023.