After being placed on waivers by the Washington Nationals, infielder Daniel Murphy has been traded to the Chicago Cubs.
It appears as though the Washington Nationals have officially thrown in the towel. The Nationals placed Bryce Harper, Matt Adams and Daniel Murphy on revocable waivers. It is being reported by Jon Heyman of Fancred that waivers have expired on Harper, which means he won’t be leaving Washington. And Matt Adams is headed back to St. Louis.
Meanwhile, Daniel Murphy has been traded to the Chicago Cubs. According to the Cubs’ official Twitter, the team acquired Murphy for minor league infielder Andruw Monasterio and a player to be named later or cash considerations.
The Nationals have been perhaps the most disappointing team in the league this season. Once heavy favorites to win the National League East, they currently sit in third place at one game below .500. Thus, the fire sale.
The question now is how Daniel Murphy will fit with the Cubs. Chicago’s primary second baseman is Javier Baez, who’s having a career year. There is a chance Murphy could see some time at third base with Kris Bryant still on the disabled list without a timetable for a return.
There’s also the possibility the team puts shortstop Addison Russell on the DL. He’s been dealing with a sore wrist off and on all season, and he’s been ice-cold at the plate for over a month now. In a corresponding move, the Cubs could slide Baez over to short and put Murphy at second base, his natural position.
With the Cardinals playing as well as any team in the league since the all-star break, the Cubs were probably wise to add to their lineup. After slow start to the season, the Cardinals are now only 3.5 games out of first place in the NL Central and are currently tied for the second Wild Card spot.
Murphy has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball for the past seven weeks, slashing .336/.379/.514 since July 1. With the Cubs dealing with injuries and slumping hitters, Murphy’s bat could wind up giving them a huge offensive boost.