The Cubs apparently are close to acquiring Rays pitcher Matt Garza for five Minor League players, including 2010 Pitcher of the Year Chris Archer and 2010 Player of the Year Brandon Guyer. The deal will be finalized once the players undergo physicals.
Sources said Friday the framework is in place for the multi-player swap in which Chicago would get Garza in exchange for Archer, Guyer, shortstop Hak-Ju Lee, catcher Robinson Chirinos and outfielder Sam Fuld. The Cubs also would get two Minor League players from the Rays. According to the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald, one of the players is outfielder Fernando Perez, 27, who batted .234 in 107 big league
appearances. He hit .223 at Triple-A last year.
Team officials would not confirm the trade. Earlier this week, the Chicago Sun-Times reported the Cubs were close to acquiring Garza but both teams denied anything was imminent. The Daily Herald reported Friday that a deal was in the works and had the names.
Garza, 27, would join a rotation with Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Randy Wells, Tom Gorzelanny, and Carlos Silva. The Rays right-hander was 15-10 with a 3.91 ERA last season, and would definitely give the team a boost and help counter moves made this offseason by the Brewers, who added starters Zach Greinke and Shaun Marcum. The Cubs have been looking for an innings-eater type pitcher.
Garza is arbitration-eligible for the second time and will get a raise from his $3.35 million salary in 2010. Archer combined to go 15-3 with a 2.34 ERA in 28 games between Class A Daytona and Double-A Tennessee. He was 8-2 with a 1.80 ERA with the Smokies, and also had a 10-strikeout game in the Pan-Am Qualifying Tournament this winter. Archer was acquired from the Indians in December 2008.
Guyer batted .344 with 39 doubles, six triples, 13 homers, 50 RBIs and a .398 on-base percentage. He was the Cubs’ fifth round pick in 2007.
Lee batted .282 in 122 games with Class A Peoria. Chirinos batted .318 with 15 homers and 64 RBIs at Tennessee and hit .364 with three homers and 10 RBIs with Triple-A Iowa. Fuld has a career .285 Minor League average and has hit .252 in 98 big league games with the Cubs.
– Carrie Muskat
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