Daniel Bartel/Getty
The top of the starting pitching market didn’t kick into gear until a little over a half an hour before the 5 p.m. CT deadline, with the Rangers acquiring right-hander Merrill Kelly from the Diamondbacks.
Then deals fell into place in rapid succession. And the Cubs dropped out of the race for a frontline starter, which has been their most obvious need since left-hander Justin Steele underwent season-ending elbow surgery in April.
“From a starting pitching standpoint, it was a really tight market,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said.