Inside The Cubs

Chicago Cubs Quietly Made This Very Intriguing Trade for an Outfielder

The Chicago Cubs made a very quiet but intriguing trade for an outfielder on Thursday ahead of the deadline.
Evan Massey|
Sep 26, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; A detail view of a tribute to Miami Marlin pitcher Jose Fernandez on the hat worn by Chicago Cubs center fielder Albert Almora Jr. (not pictured) against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
Sep 26, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; A detail view of a tribute to Miami Marlin pitcher Jose Fernandez on the hat worn by Chicago Cubs center fielder Albert Almora Jr. (not pictured) against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. | Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

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Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are one of the teams ahead of the MLB trade deadline that don't have any clear direction. No one knows what Jed Hoyer and the front office are going to choose to do.

On one hand, they could try to acquire players for the future and get a jump on being a contender in the 2025 season. They could also turn into a seller and move quite a few of their current players in an attempt to get younger and better for the future.

Hoyer will have to make that big decision over the next few days.

While fans eagerly wait to see what the Cubs are going to do, Chicago went out and made a quiet but intriguing trade on Thursday.

In a move that went under-the-radar, the Cubs acquired 25-year-old outfielder Gilberto Celestino from the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash considerations.

Celestino has played in 67 games this season for the Indianapolis Indians, the minor league team for the Pirates. He has hit .271/.348/.356 to go along with three home runs and 25 RBI. In addition to those numbers, he has also stolen nine bases on the year.

This could be a move that pays off for Chicago. Celestino isn't a big name, but he's only 25 and has been productive at the Triple-A level. There is a chance that the Cubs could see him reach the majors at some point this year.

These are the kinds of moves that can be completely forgotten until a player comes up to the big leagues and makes an impact.

Of course, there is no guarantee that this move will pan out for Chicago. He may end up never playing for the Cubs at the major league level. However, he'll be an interesting name to watch for the remainder of the year.

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Evan Massey
EVAN MASSEY

Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst who covers both the NFL and NBA. He has worked for ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, NFLAnalysis.net, NBAAnalysis.net, and many other publications. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son.

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