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The Cubs acquired Travis Lakins from the Red Sox 10 days ago for a player to be named later or cash considerations. (Usually, a deal structured that way will wind up being “cash considerations.”
The team apparently tried to get Lakins through waivers. They couldn’t:
We have claimed RHP Travis Lakins off waivers from the Chicago Cubs and designated INF/OF Stevie Wilkerson for assignment.
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) January 31, 2020
Lakins posted a 3.86 ERA and 1.414 WHIP for the Red Sox in 16 appearances (three starts) in 2019. He was Boston’s sixth-round pick in 2015 from Ohio State (comparison point: two picks later the Cubs selected David Berg, who has been out of baseball since 2017).
Lakins would have gotten a look for the bullpen in 2020 and, as he has options remaining, could have been a member of the Iowa Shuttle. Instead, he likely has a pretty good shot at making the Orioles’ big-league bullpen.
This claim opens up a spot on the Cubs’ 40-man roster, so it’s possible the Cubs will try to fill that with another waiver claim or trade. As always, we await developments.