Update #2 (6:43 PM EDT): Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Mariners will send pitcher Jordan Pries to the Cubs.
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Update (5:54 PM EDT): More players are involved in the deal. Rosenthal reports that the Cubs will also receive a Triple-A pitcher from the Mariners, and the Mariners will receive Double-A pitcher Paul Blackburn.
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ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian reported on Wednesday evening that the Cubs and Mariners had a trade in the works. Buster Olney linked Mariners pitcher Mike Montgomery to the deal. Then Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported that Cubs prospect Dan Vogelbach is also involved. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports confirmed the trade.
Montgomery, 27, made two starts recently but has otherwise operated out of the Mariners’ bullpen. Overall, he has a 2.34 ERA with a 54/18 K/BB ratio in 61 2/3 innings. Moving to the bullpen has added about 3 MPH to Montgomery’s fastball, as he averaged 91 MPH last year and has sat 94-95 this season. He’ll be a big upgrade to the Cubs’ bullpen and the club will have control of him through 2021.
Vogelbach, 23, is rated as the Cubs’ 20th-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline. The Cubs took him in the second round of the 2011 draft. This year, in his first year at Triple-A Iowa, Vogelbach has hit quite well. He has a .318/.425/.548 triple-slash line with 16 home runs and 64 RBI in 365 plate appearances.