Jun 13, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. (38) leaves the game against the Tampa Bay Rays in the seventh inning at Tropicana Field. Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY Sports

Cubs Trade Mark Leiter Jr. to Yankees for 2 Prospects

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Jonnie Nonnie | Last updated Jul 30, 2024 4:00 PM ET

The Chicago Cubs continued their MLB trade deadline maneuvering Tuesday by sending reliever Mark Leiter Jr. to the New York Yankees in exchange for infielder Ben Cowles and right-handed pitcher Jack Neely, per ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel.

Trade news: The New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs are in agreement on a trade that will send right-handed reliever Mark Leiter Jr. to the Yankees and infielder Ben Cowles and right-handed reliever Jack Neely to the Cubs, sources tell me and @kileymcd.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 30, 2024

Leiter Jr. owns a 4.21 ERA and a career-high 13.1 K/9 in 36.1 innings this season. The 33-year-old's strikeout ability offers intrigue for a Yankees team looking to shore up its bullpen for an American League pennant push.

Cowles, a 24-year-old infielder, was the No. 29 prospect in the Yankees' system, per MLB Pipeline. The right-handed hitter is slashing .294/.376/.472 with 25 doubles, nine home runs, and 51 RBIs across 378 plate appearances for Double-A Somerset this season.

Neely, a 24-year-old reliever, was the No. 22 prospect in the Yankees' system, per MLB Pipeline. The 6-foot-8 hurler owns a 2.81 ERA and 13.61 K/9 across 41.2 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A this season.

This trade aligns with Jed Hoyer's objective of bolstering the Cubs' future outlook at the deadline. Chicago previously acquired third baseman Isaac Paredes from the Tampa Bay Rays and reliever Nate Pearson from the Toronto Blue Jays.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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