The Cubs were pretty active Wednesday, swinging several trades to reshape the roster and make them more competitive down the stretch. The most prominent of those was the Nicholas Castellanos deal that was finalized 40 seconds ahead of the deadline, but he won’t be active until Thursday. Tony Kemp and David Phelps, who was acquired Tuesday, have joined the Cubs in St. Louis and have been added to the 25-man roster.
Kemp was picked up in exchange for Martín Maldonado, so his roster spot was a simple swap. The former Astro will play primarily second base with the Cubs, though he’s capable of playing left and center field as well.