So the Cubs really did it. And unless he pulls a Josh McDaniels by leaving the Cubs jilted at the altar, Yu Darvish makes his new team a legit World Series contender. Not that they weren’t already, mind you, but adding a pitcher of this caliber helps the concrete to set up a little quicker.
It’s easy to see how adding an accomplished starter to the rotation makes the Cubs better, but the real key is how it strengthens the rest of the roster. Darvish creates ripples that serve to spread the team’s talent more equitably, putting players in better position to maximize their value.