The Astros outfield got a little crowded with the Evan Gattis trade, but they've cleared that right up by dealing starting center fielder Dexter Fowler to the Cubs for Dan Straily and Luis Valbuena. None of the players in this deal are stars, but both sides will see their rosters shaken up by the move just the same. Jeff Passan was the first to report the full terms of the swap.
Cubs acquire Dexter Fowler from Astros
The Cubs get a new center fielder and open up third base for their best remaining prospect in the minors.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Fowler gives the Cubs a starting center fielder, which they already had in Arismendy Alcantara. Now, though, they can use Alcantara as a utility player -- he was a shortstop who played second base and center field last season in the majors -- while keeping Chris Coghlan in left field against righties. Since Alcantara is a switch-hitter who has been better against southpaws in his career, this arrangement works out easily. New manager Joe Maddon is used to this sort of roster shuffling on a day-to-day basis: that's one of the main reasons his Rays were able to keep up with the richer teams in the AL East.
Maybe most importantly, however, is that third base is now open for the Cubs’ best prospect left in the minors, Kris Bryant. Between Double- and Triple-A last year, Bryant hit .325/.438/.661 with 43 home runs, and in only his second year as a pro. He probably won’t start the year as the third baseman, but once the service time shenanigans period has ended sometime in May, he’ll be at the hot corner in Chicago.
As for the Astros, they shed Fowler, who they acquired a year ago but failed to convince to stick around long-term, but get Valbuena and Straily for it. Valbuena is under team control through 2016 and Straily 2019. Neither are major pieces -- Straily is a back-end arm who can help fill out a rotation, while Valbuena has only emerged as useful in the last two years. Jake Marisnick, acquired from the Marlins last July, now takes over in center, and the Astros can use Valbuena at third in place of the still-struggling Matt Dominguez if they so choose. It's not a bad haul for Houston, but it's not an inspiring one, either, not unless they somehow make Straily into something besides a back-end arm.
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