How the Yu Darvish trade looks for Cubs 2 years later originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Yu Darvish pitching an impressive six innings in the Padres’ playoff victory over Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers on Wednesday might not have done much for Cubs fans wishing he was still in Chicago — certainly not for anyone who believes he might have made a difference in the Cubs’ 2021 fortunes.
But two years later, outfield prospect Owen Caissie has shown enough promise to earn an Arizona Fall League assignment and likely will start next season at Double-A Tennessee after a full season at high-A South Bend — rebounding from a slow April to put up an .810 OPS with 11 homers and a .373 on-base percentage the rest of the season.
“I got exposed my first month,” said Caissie, who was one of the youngest players in the Midwest League (turned 20 in July). “It happens. But I came back from it and just learned as a baseball player all the way through the year.”
If that learning curve continues well enough to lock him into a core spot on Jed Hoyer’s “next great Cubs team,” then his contribution alone might wind up giving the Cubs the long-term value they sought in the cost-cutting trade.
RELATED: Wittenmyer: Cubs fans should root for Padres to win World Series
Whether it forgives ownership’s cowering and payroll-slashing in the face of pandemic economic forces, Hoyer’s end of it would in that case provide an eventual payoff at least.
The Padres also have reason to be happy with the outcome, especially after Darvish grinded out a strong outing at hostile Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night.
Throwing aside the other big-leaguers involved in that seven-player trade in December 2020 (Zach Davies to the Cubs; Victor Caratini to the Padres, here’s where 2022 has landed Darvish and the four low-A prospects the Cubs got back:
-
Darvish, who earned a fifth All-Star selection in 2021 after the trade, went 16-8 with a 3.10 ERA this year, across 194 2/3 innings — his highest innings total since his second year in the big leagues (209 2/3 in 2013).
-
Caissie, who made two top-100 prospect lists (fangraphs.com and Baseball Prospectus) this year, is off to a slow start in the AFL — 3-for-17 with two doubles and seven strikeouts through Wednesday.
-
Shortstop Reggie Preciado, 19, made Baseball Prospectus’ top-100 list before a rough 2022 season that included just 56 games at two levels (.570 OPS) and a knee injury.
-
Second baseman Yeison Santana, 21, hit .300 in an 18-game stint at low-A Myrtle Beach (plus 10 walks and a .409 OBP) but struggled in 61 games at South Bend (.248 average, .653 OPS).
-
Outfielder Ismael Mena, 19, didn’t reach full-season A-ball this season, hitting .264 with little power and a pedestrian 7-for-13 in steal attempts over 34 games with the Arizona Complex League.
Click here to subscribe to the Cubs Talk Podcast for free.
Download
Download MyTeams Today!