By Sahadev Sharma, Andy McCullough and Patrick Mooney

The Chicago Cubs swung the most impactful trade of the deadline thus far, acquiring Isaac Parades from the Tampa Bay Rays for Christopher Morel and a pair of prospects in Ty Johnson and Hunter Bigge, the teams announced.

Parades ranked as the No. 3 player overall on The Athletic’s Trade Deadline Big Board and the No. 1 offensive player available. Hitting .247 with 16 home runs and a .793 OPS, he’s been widely considered one of the most attractive position players on the market this summer.

Parades, 25, can play all across the infield. He made the All-Star team earlier this month in the midst of another strong offensive season. And he’s under team control through 2027. Need a third baseman? Need a second baseman? Need someone who can do it all? Paredes is your man. In terms of getting on base, he’s been far more effective against left-handed pitchers this season. But he can still slug against right-handers, which allows him to play a prominent role in the lineup on a daily basis.

Parades is owed $1.1 million in 2024, then is arbitration-eligible through 2027. The Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees were thought to be contenders for Paredes, who instead landed with a Cubs team that had signaled that they were selling.

The #Cubs today acquired 3B Isaac Paredes from the Tampa Bay Rays for 3B Christopher Morel, RHP Hunter Bigge and RHP Ty Johnson. pic.twitter.com/CzEaqVGGbd

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 28, 2024

Cubs manager Craig Counsell sounded a little out of touch last week when he told reporters that it would be a “mistake” for them to write the “easier story” of the team being “this or that” at the trade deadline. It seemed like a small-market reference to the Milwaukee Brewers teams he used to manage, and disconnected from recent history at Wrigley Field. Under Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer, the Cubs had consistently been clearly defined buyers or sellers at each trade deadline between 2012 and 2023.

But the Cubs are currently working in more of a gray area, avoiding players who would only help for 2024, viewing no one as untouchable, and adding talent for right now and the future.

GO DEEPER

MLB Trade Grades: Did Rays get enough for All-Star Isaac Paredes in trade with Cubs?

Paredes was once on the other side of one of those win-now trades. Originally signed by the Cubs out of Mexico, he was packaged in a deal that also sent Jeimer Candelario to the Detroit Tigers for left-handed reliever Justin Wilson and catcher Alex Avila at the 2017 deadline. While Candelario was the bigger name at that time, and the Cubs needed immediate help to defend their World Series title, a team source credited the Tigers for heavily scouting and identifying Paredes, who had already shown himself to be a heady, instinctual player at a young age.

The Tigers eventually moved Paredes for outfielder Austin Meadows and watched him blossom with the Rays. Once known for purely his contact skills, Paredes tapped into his power as he became an extreme pull hitter.

Those pull-hitting tendencies worked extremely well for Paredes at Tropicana Field as he’s slugged 67 home runs with the Rays since 2022. Some teams were scared off by Paredes’ homers exclusively coming to the pull side over the last three seasons, but it clearly wasn’t as big of a hurdle for the Cubs.

Paredes answers multiple questions for the Cubs. Wrigley Field shouldn’t suppress his power too significantly as it is friendly for home run hitters, especially in the left-center gap. It’s also an upgrade at third base where the Cubs have been searching for more certainty going forward. Morel’s defense has been up and down all season long, but Paredes has shown that he can be at least average at the position.

While the Rays were likely intrigued by Morel’s expected stats, which indicate he should be having a much better season, the Cubs are adding a player to their lineup who posted a 137 wRC+ in 2023 and is at 130 this season, which would currently be second on the team. Paredes is also more than just a slugger as he barely strikes out (16 percent this season) and has consistently posted walk rates above 10 percent.

Christopher Morel hasn’t produced at the level of past seasons, but his under-the-hood numbers indicate success could be coming. (Jeff Dean / Getty Images)

Paredes is under control for three more seasons beyond this one, which obviously appeals to a Cubs team that would like to stay relevant in 2024, and more importantly is adamant about contending in 2025. For the Rays, it continues a trend of moving players before their costs soar. Paredes is entering arbitration for the first time this winter. Along with Paredes, the Rays have already traded starter Zach Eflin, reliever Jason Adam and outfielder Randy Arozarena.

Along with the high offensive upside of Morel, Bigge gives the Rays a potential late-inning reliever to develop, while Johnson is viewed as a potential starter their vaunted pitching development program can mold.

(Top photo of Paredes: Kyle Rivas / Getty Images)