Marlins trade Dan Haren to the Cubs

The Marlins have traded starting pitcher Dan Haren to the Cubs, according to Gordon Wittenmyer. Several reporters have confirmed the deal.

Chicago will send two minor league prospects, shortstop Elliot Soto, and pitcher Ivan Pineyro to the Marlins to complete the deal. Soto is 25 years old who has been shuffled between AA and AAA over the last three years. In 2015, he's spent the entire season in AA, and in 372 plate appearances, Soto has a line of .275/.388/.314with a wOBA of .344 and a wRC+ of 110. Other than when Soto posted a wRC+ of 117 in four games in 2010, this is the first time he's posted a value above 100 (which is considered average) in his six year career.

Pineyro is the better prospect in this deal, and has been with the Cubs since 2013 when he was acquired from the Nationals in a trade for Scott Hairston. In 2015, Pineyro has pitched 107.1 innings at AA, and has posted a K/9 of 7.71, a BB/9 of 2.52, an ERA of 3.69, and an FIP of 3.24. He's 23 years old, and has yet to reach AAA in his five year career.

In 129 innings this season, Haren has posted a K/9 of 6.14, a BB/9 of 1.74, with an ERA of 3.42, and an FIP of 4.57. His inflated FIP is likely due to his high HR/9 of 1.47, and low strikeout rates. However he's shown excellent control this season, and will slide into the rotation that already has Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks, and Jason Hammel.

The Cubs have the third best rotation in baseball according to fWAR (11.7), and trail only Washington in the National League. They've struggled to find any consistency from their fifth starter this season, and have used Tsuyoshi Wada, Dallas Beeler, Donn Roach, Clayton Richard, and Travis Wood. Haren gives them a dependable arm to slot behind a strong starting four.