There have been a lot of mixed feels when it comes the moves Theo Epstein has made since the 2016 Chicago Cubs season that ended in a World Series championship. As with any front office, there will be moves that worked and ones that did not. Sometimes it is easy to forget the context of the move at the time and judgment on the initial decision made purely on the results. This can apply to a number of his recent trades.
The fact of the matter is that a good number of guys Epstein has traded away have blossomed or at least shown signs of blossoming this season.