The Cubs decided they'd had enough of trying to beat Nationals slugger Daniel Murphy and instead decided to just add him to the roster, acquiring the 33-year-old second baseman from the Nationals.
Murphy, who's been limited to just 56 games with the Nationals due to a right knee injury, is having another solid season for Washington slashing .300/.341/.442. The power hasn't quite returned yet with only 6 home runs, but Murphy has a history of mashing baseballs in Chicago - the memory of his historic 2015 postseason run still haunts Cubs fans today.
In return, the Cubs gave up single-A infielder Andrew Monasterio and a player to be named or cash considerations. This also could mean Addison Russell may be joining fellow infielder Kris Bryant on the disabled list to make sure for Murphy, however, he is in the lineup for Tuesday night's game.
Murphy joining the Cubs gives the team a reliable contact bat that has a proven track record for the postseason, but it could also be a sign that the Cubs may not be 100% healthy by the time the postseason starts. Murphy may very well be an insurance plan in case Kris Bryant can't return to the club in the near future.