The trade deadline marked the end of an era for the Chicago Cubs. Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Baez are gone, and so are the team’s chances of competing for a World Series title this season.
It didn’t take long for Illinois sportsbooks to react. The Cubs were already longshots to win it all before the trades at +10000, but their sports betting odds have dropped even further after being sellers at the deadline. Chicago is now +30000 to win the World Series.
The team’s MLB betting odds to win the division also took a hit from +2000 to +7500. As of Tuesday, the Cubs are currently 13 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the division lead.
Even the players are still adjusting to the franchise’s mainstays no longer around.
"It's definitely been really tough. Still is,” pitcher Kyle Hendricks told reporters. He is one of the few who remain from the 2016 championship team. “It's going to take a while to process. It's just very different around here without those guys. It was a crazy 24 hours. Still probably processing it all. It's going to take a while."
How They Got Here
Publicly, Bryant, Rizzo and Baez stated they wanted to remain with the team long term. But in a recent interview, Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer said that wasn’t the case.
“When we sat down to do negotiations, that wasn’t how they acted,” Hoyer said.
After an 11-game losing streak to put the team out of contention, Hoyer stated the team would become sellers at the deadline. Fans knew this was coming. But there was hope the team would retain and extend any of the three franchise figures.
“I put my head on the pillow every night knowing that we put our best foot forward,” Hoyer said. “The extensions we offered these guys will hold up exceptionally well; historically they’ll hold up exceptionally well against the open market. I don’t know why guys didn’t want to sign. I don’t know why guys didn’t even want to counteroffer sometimes.”
The organization wasn’t about to overpay, either. The team made that clear when it traded Yu Darvish and the $56 million remaining on his $126 million contract after ownership stated they were suffering “biblical losses” because of the pandemic.
Crosstown Trade
On the other side of the city, the White Sox are running away with the AL Central division with an 8.5-game lead. For IL gambling, the White Sox have the third-best odds to win the World Series at +700 and –5000 to win their division.
The White Sox benefited from the Cubs’ fire sale, landing closer Craig Kimbrel to strengthen their bullpen. For Kimbrel, the White Sox sent second baseman Nick Madrigal and right-handed pitcher Codi Heuer. Kimbrel has a 0.41 ERA this season and has recorded 23 saves.
