The Chicago Cubs are trading pitcher Yu Darvish to the San Diego Padres in a seven-player trade, according to multiple reports.
Darvish and catcher Victor Caratini (his personal catcher in Chicago) are headed to San Diego, while the Cubs receive pitcher Zach Davies, shortstop prospects Reginald Preciado and Yeison Santana, and outfield prospects Owen Caissie and Ismael Mena.
Darvish finished second in National League Cy Young voting after going 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA, 2.23 FIP, and 93 strikeouts in 76 innings for the Cubs in 2020. He also owns the best strikeouts-per-nine rate (11.1) in MLB history.
According to MLB Pipeline’s prospect rankings, the Cubs will receive the No. 11 (Preciado), No. 13 (Caissie), No. 15 (Mena) and No. 16 (Santana) prospects from the Padres’ system. All four are 20 years old or younger.
Davies, 27, recorded a 2.73 ERA in 12 starts for the Padres last season, accruing 1.7 bWAR. He has a 3.79 ERA across six MLB seasons, five of which came for the Cubs’ NL Central rival Milwaukee Brewers.
The trade marked the Padres’ second blockbuster in as many days, after they acquired Blake Snell from the Rays on Sunday for a quartet of young pitchers and catchers.
