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The Chicago Cubs have acquired left-hander Felix Doubront from the Boston Red Sox, in a deal that was first reported to be close by FOX Sports' Jon Morosi and confirmed by CBS Sports' Jon Heyman. In return, the Red Sox will receive a player to be named later (per ESPN.com's Jim Bowden), who will be decided upon after the Rule 5 draft, which will take place in December.
The 26-year-old Doubront is having a disappointing season, owning a 6.07 ERA, 5.29 FIP, 1.65 K/BB, and 0.0 WAR in 59.1 innings pitched. After posting a 5.19 ERA in 10 starts to open the season, Doubront was moved to the bullpen, where he has continued to regress, culminating in a six-run outing on Monday. Coming into the year, he was viewed as a reliable back-of-the-rotation starter, as he combined to post a 4.59 ERA, 4.08 FIP, 2.15 K/BB, and 4.6 WAR during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Doubront is arbitration eligible this offseason, and won't be a free agent until after the 2017 season.
Due to his track record and remaining years of club control, Doubront is a nice long-term get for the Cubs, who can immediately plug him into their rotation. Having already dealt two-fifths of their rotation away this summer, the Cubs are thin on starters for both this season and the next few. The organization is known for its abundance of high-ceiling offensive talent, but is much thinner when it comes to pitching. While Doubront is far from the elite level starter that Chicago will want to anchor their rotation when they're ready to contend in a few years, he is a more than serviceable back-end arm, and could also serve as a trade asset down the road if the Cubs can enjoy the same success with him as they have had with another buy-low acquisition in Jake Arrieta. Doubront should also, of course, benefit from moving out of the AL East to the more pitcher-friendlt NL Central.
Doubront is the first in what figures to be a number of Boston pitchers dealt in the next day. Along with marquee names such as Jon Lester and John Lackey, the Sox could also move Andrew Miller, Burke Badenhop, and possibly (though highly unlikely) Koji Uehara. Doubront represents the second starter to be dealt by Boston this summer, as the Red Sox shipped Jake Peavy to the Giants last week.