Cubs land Holmes, Taylor from Mets to bolster rotation
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- Chicago Cubs acquired right-hander Clay Holmes and outfielder Tyrone Taylor from the New York Mets, sending infield prospect Jefferson Rojas to New York to address an injury-depleted pitching staff in a National League Central/wild-card race.
- Clay Holmes, 33, had a 2.39 ERA before breaking his leg May 15 on a 111.1 mph comebacker; the former Yankees reliever compiled a 3.26 ERA across 40 Mets starts in two seasons, leaning on elite ground-ball rates rather than strikeouts.
- Tyrone Taylor batted .241 with 10 homers, 28 RBIs and a .794 OPS in 67 Mets games and can become a free agent after the World Series; the defensive standout has surged at the plate since returning June 26 from a strained right hip.
- Jefferson Rojas, 21, was blocked at the big-league level by Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner and Alex Bregman; he was hitting .270 with 15 homers and 17 stolen bases across 91 games at Double-A Knoxville, making him a logical trade chip.
- The Cubs also acquired reliever Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels for Moisés Ballesteros and right-hander Mason McGwire — son of Mark McGwire — and left-hander Braxton Garrett from the Miami Marlins for right-hander Jace Beck and first baseman Jonathon Long.
- The flurry followed Sunday's acquisition of veteran starter Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays, with all four deadline moves aimed at catching the first-place Milwaukee Brewers or holding the NL's top wild-card spot.
- Holmes holds a $12 million player option for 2027 that he is likely to turn down, meaning the Mets' return (Rojas) is the only lasting asset from this swap, while Taylor is also ticketed for free agency after the World Series.
Why it matters: The Cubs surrendered four of their better minor-league pieces — Rojas, Ballesteros, Beck and Long — for rotation and bullpen help as they chase Milwaukee in the NL Central. For the Mets, the return is a 21-year-old infielder blocked in Chicago's loaded infield, reinforcing their seller posture at the deadline after also moving Holmes, Taylor and Gausman-style contributors.
