Amid the losing, Cubs trying to win their side of Craig Kimbrel trade by threading the needle with Codi Heuer,… – The Athletic

Chris Young understands the equal and opposite reactions on both sides of the trade deadline. While on the road as a major-league scouting supervisor for the Astros, Young felt the excitement, tracking Justin Verlanders final starts with the Tigers and following Houstons potential opponents in the 2017 playoffs. Acquiring Verlander at the Aug. 31 deadline for postseason roster eligibility a deal the Cubs didnt make to defend their World Series title helped Houston win its first world championship.

As the Cubs neared the end of that competitive cycle, a sense of dread and uncertainty hung over the team. Young, the Cubs bullpen coach, had grown close to veteran relievers Craig Kimbrel, Ryan Tepera and Andrew Chafin. As Young said, You spend three hours locked in a cage with these guys 200 days a year, so you build relationships.

After the Cubs traded Chafin to Oakland on July 26 the details of that deal leaked out in the middle of a night game Kimbrel and Young hung out with Chafin in the Wrigley Field clubhouse. Chafin and Kimbrel walked toward the players parking lot around 1 a.m. and chatted with a few fans on Waveland Avenue before going their separate ways.

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Amid the losing, Cubs trying to win their side of Craig Kimbrel trade by threading the needle with Codi Heuer,... - The Athletic