Cubs executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer made their bones with the Boston Red Sox, helping build the 2004 World Series team that finally took down the New York Yankees. That intense rivalry shapes how the Cubs view the St. Louis Cardinals and the no-shortcuts belief that a championship-caliber organization is built to win 90-plus games year after year.
The Yankees now have the potential to unlock the entire market around the Aug. 1 trade deadline, whether it’s shutdown relievers (Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller) or change-of-scenery starting pitchers (Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Pineda) or an outstanding postseason hitter like Carlos Beltran.