Cubs Close To Trading Matt Garza

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jul 19, 2013 3:45PM

Matt Garza's career as a Cub could be over as soon as today. FoxSports.com is reporting the Cubs are close to a deal that would sent the right-hander, arguably the most sought after pitcher on the market, to the Texas Rangers in exchange for minor league prospects.

Other teams are rumored to be in the mix, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the Rangers are said to be the "most motivated" team in talks with the Cubs. Texas currently is two games behind Oakland in the AL West but their starting rotation is a shambles. Five starters are currently on the disables list and adding Garza would give the Rangers an ace at the top of their rotation for the stretch run. Garza traveled with the team to Denver to begin the second half of the season but isn't expected to pitch for the Cubs until they reach Arizona Monday.

Garza has pitched well since making his season debut in May. He currently sports a 6-1 record with a 6-1 record with a 3.17 ERA in 11 starts, is averaging nearly eight strikeouts per nine innings and is 5-0 with a 1.24 earned-run average in his last six starts.

If a Garza-to-Texas trade happens, it would mark the second straight year the Rangers dealt for a highly sought after Cubs pitcher. Last year the Rangers acquired Ryan Dempster after a deal to send Dempster to Atlanta fell apart.