No reason to go halfway: Behind the scenes of the Cubs trade deadline that turned the organization upside down… – The Athletic

There were less than 23 hours remaining until the trade deadline when Anthony Rizzo received a phone call from Vijay Tekchandani, the Cubs director of major league travel and clubhouse operations. Rizzo was hanging out with his wife, Emily, and his parents, John and Laurie, in the players parking lot next to Wrigley Field after a July 29 loss to the Reds. Tekchandani told Rizzo that he needed to sign a baseball which was a request for a young fan and that Cubs manager David Ross needed to see him in the office.

Rizzo crossed Waveland Avenue and walked toward the teams underground clubhouse. During that homestand, word spread among the Wrigley Field gameday staff about Rizzos father reaching out to stadium workers to thank them for taking care of his family over the years during their frequent visits to the 1914 Club, the VIP area behind home plate. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer had already finalized the Ryan Tepera deal with the White Sox that day, making it two in-game trades in four days. During a July 26 night game, fans in the bleachers had informed the Cubs bullpen that Andrew Chafin was reportedly on the verge of getting traded to Oakland.

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No reason to go halfway: Behind the scenes of the Cubs trade deadline that turned the organization upside down... - The Athletic