The Cubs fell to 23 games under .500 after Saturday’s 12-5 blowout loss to the rival Cardinals, but they continue to sit tight as the trade deadline approaches. In fact, they’re actually making some of their more coveted players unavailable.
According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Cubs have begun informing interested teams that first baseman Carlos Pena will not be traded this summer.
Pena signed a one-year contract with Chicago this past winter and will become a free agent in November. But the Cubs want to keep him around for reasons that can’t be fully explained. According to MLB Trade Rumors’ most recent Elias Rankings, Pena is not likely to become a Type A or Type B free agent this offseason, so the Cubs do not stand to gain compensatory draft picks when (or if) he signs elsewhere.
Pena, 33, has posted an .860 OPS since May 1 and is up to 20 home runs for the season.
