Cubs Acquire Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor Ahead of Deadline

The Chicago Cubs have strengthened their roster by acquiring pitcher Clay Holmes from the New York Mets just before the trade deadline. Holmes, who is currently on the 60-day injured list, has made three rehab appearances and is set to return to the big leagues, with his first start scheduled for Saturday.

The Cubs have a vacancy on their 40-man roster, which allows them to add Holmes without needing to make an immediate corresponding move. Holmes had a strong start to the season, posting a 2.39 earned run average in nine starts before suffering a fractured fibula from a comebacker.

In addition to Holmes, the Cubs also acquired outfielder Tyrone Taylor, who is expected to play a role in a short-side platoon with Ian Happ. Taylor has performed well offensively this season, while Happ has struggled recently. Both players are set to become free agents, with Taylor's recent performance potentially enhancing his market value.