The trade deadline came and went with the Cubs making just three moves — trading for Nate Pearson, Isaac Paredes and minor leaguers Ben Cowles and Jack Neely and sending out Mark Leiter Jr., Christopher Morel, Hunter Bigge and three minor-leaguers. Elise Menaker and Andy Martínez broke down the three deals and why the Cubs were relatively quiet this deadline and whether or not the team is punting on 2024.

The crew broke down why Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer executed the deals he did and if they were successful in accomplishing their goals of building for 2025 and beyond. While the Morel trade might have been a bit of a shock, Menaker and Martínez discussed why the Cubs were OK parting ways with him and what made Paredes such a target for the Cubs.

They discuss why the Cubs didn’t move players like Jameson Taillon, Héctor Neris and Drew Smyly and how Neely could factor into the equation for the Cubs down the stretch.