Cubs acquire OF Maybin from Tigers

CHICAGO -- The Cubs zeroed in on some specific needs as they waded into to this year's trade waters. One area of focus leading up to Monday's Trade Deadline was finding help for countering left-handed pitching, leading to the acquisitions of José Martínez and Cameron Maybin.

On Monday, a day after landing Martínez in a deal with the Rays, Chicago reeled in Maybin from the Tigers in exchange for Minor League shortstop Zack Short, who had been ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Cubs' No. 21 prospect. The Cubs believe those additions -- combined with the pending returns of Kris Bryant and Steven Souza Jr. from the injured list -- can swing the team's fortunes vs. southpaws.

TRADE DETAILS
Cubs get: OF Cameron Maybin
Tigers get: INF prospect Zack Short

"It felt like teams were able to run left-handed pitching out against us without much fear," Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said. "Maybe we can even turn that from a weakness into a strength."

Beyond adding Maybin, the Cubs also finalized trades on Monday for lefty Josh Osich (from the Red Sox) and Andrew Chafin (from the D-backs). Utility man Hernán Pérez and outfielder Ian Miller were designated for assignment to clear room on the Cubs' 40-man roster.

Hoyer noted that the corresponding transaction for adding Maybin to the active roster will be optioning struggling outfielder Albert Almora Jr. to the South Bend (Ind.) alternate training site. With Ian Happ (1.041 OPS through 34 games) having earned the everyday job in center, Almora had been limited to a late-inning defensive role and hit just .167 with a .465 OPS in 34 plate appearances (28 games).

The Cubs felt a veteran like Maybin could better handle a bench role.

"Albert hasn't gotten consistent at-bats," Hoyer said. "As a result, I think it's just been a challenge for him to play sporadically and be able to produce. I think sometimes a veteran player like a Cam Maybin, at this point in his career, who's used to coming off the bench and pinch-hitting and playing a little bit less, I think oftentimes those players in those kind of roles fit better."

Maybin, 33, has hit .244/.311/.415 in 14 games this season for Detroit, which used him in right field (minus-one Defensive Runs Saved in 96 innings). The right-handed-hitting outfielder has performed slightly better against righty pitching (.714 OPS) than lefty pitching (.670 OPS) in his 14-year Major League career.

Maybin missed two weeks at the start of August while recovering from a right quad injury, but returned to the field on Aug. 14. A free agent after this season, the outfielder posted an .858 OPS with a 127 wRC+ in 82 games with the Yankees in 2019.

Happ is a switch-hitter garnering most of his playing time in center, but he can play in the corners as well. Left fielder Kyle Schwarber and right fielder Jason Heyward both bat from the left side. Maybin can play all three positions, Souza can handle the corners and Martínez (while likely ticketed for designated-hitter at-bats) has experience in left and right, too.

As a team, the Cubs have a collective .659 OPS and 84 wRC+ against left-handed pitching this season.

Maybin has had only nine at-bats against lefties this season, but Martínez has hit .319/.392/.554 in 336 career plate appearances against southpaws. While Bryant (10-day IL, left wrist) has struggled overall, he does have a .947 OPS off left-handers in '20. Souza (10-day IL, right hamstring) has a .775 OPS this year off lefties.

Hoyer noted that Bryant and Souza are on target to return from the shelf "fairly soon," too.

"With Cam, and Souza coming back," Hoyer said, "and Martínez, and with Bryant coming off the IL, hopefully we can start to take better swings against lefties, and improve that part of our game that's been lagging, certainly, in the first half this season."