The Chicago Cubs continued a major trade deadline surge by acquiring right-handed starter Clay Holmes and outfielder Tyrone Taylor from the New York Mets on Monday.
The Cubs, who previously added right-hander Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays and left-hander Braxton Garrett from the Miami Marlins to bolster their rotation, sent third baseman/shortstop Jefferson Rojas, the No. 2 prospect in their organization per MLB Pipeline, to New York in the deal.
Holmes, 33, has been out since mid-May when a hard-hit comebacker fractured his right fibula. However, he’s close to returning after making three rehab appearances in the minor leagues over the past two weeks.
Before the injury, he was enjoying a strong start to his season despite the Mets’ struggles, posting a 4-4 record and 2.39 ERA in his first nine starts.
He has produced an ERA of 3.60 or better in each of the past six seasons and has a career 40-34 record with a 3.53 ERA in 353 games (44 starts) with the Pirates (2018-21), Yankees (2021-24) and Mets (2025-26). He made a move to the starting rotation with the Mets after spending the majority of his career coming out of the bullpen, making 40 starts since 2025.
Taylor, 32, hit .241 with 10 homers and 28 RBIs in 67 games this season, missing a month with a right hip flexor strain. He is a career .238 hitter with 60 homers and 226 RBIs over 641 games with the Brewers (2019-23) and Mets (2024-26).
Rojas, the No. 63 prospect in baseball on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list, has blown up since signing with the Cubs as an international prospect out of the Dominican Republic. Now 21, he’s hit .270 with 15 homers and 57 RBIs across 91 games this season for Double-A Knoxville.
In what has been a push-the-chips-in day of sorts for Chicago, the Cubs also acquired right-handed reliever Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels.
–Field Level Media
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