Cubs reportedly showed interest in Red Sox starter before Nationals trade

The Chicago Cubs did a pretty good job of acquiring starting pitching help at the trade deadline. 

Right-hander Kevin Gausman was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays, and Clay Holmes from the New York Mets. 

Before those moves, the Cubs added lefty David Peterson in a deal with the Mets. 

This better positions Chicago's rotation before the postseason. However, those weren't the only three pitchers they targeted. 

According to FanSided's Pat Ragazzo, the Cubs were interested in a young, controllable left-hander from the Boston Red Sox before he was sent to the Washington Nationals. 

"One of the other many names that the Cubs front office and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer discussed has now come to light. The Cubs had interest in then Boston Red Sox left-handed starter Connelly Early ahead of the deadline, as sources tell FanSided," Ragazzo wrote. 

Early has a 3.44 ERA in 17 starts this season and has not pitched for the Nationals due to posterior elbow inflammation. 

He was one of Boston's top prospects coming into the season and was appointed as the AL East club's starter in Game 3 of last year's Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees. 

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Ragazzo adds that the Cubs are better off without Early in the short-term due to his injury. 

"So while the 24-year-old Early would have been a nice piece for the Cubs' future, coming along with six years of control, he might not pitch again this year as a result of his elbow injury," Ragazzo wrote. "He could begin a rehab assignment next week, but we're running out of time in the regular season." 

Early would have been a nice addition for the Cubs, but the moves they made will help them in the immediate future as they try to win their first World Series since 2016. 

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