There is no official confirmation as of yet, but all reports indicate the Atlanta Braves have acquired Ryan Dempster from the Cubs in exchange for prospects. No word on which other players are being dealt, although the asking price in Chicago is expected to be pretty steep with Dempster leading the National League in Earned Run Average.
Dempster has ties to the Braves through Fredi Gonzalez and Frank Wren. They knew each other during their days with the Marlins in the 1990's, and some believe that'll be enough to convince the 35-year-old to sign with Atlanta in the offseason. That in itself is a completely different discussion.
As for the here and now, it sounds like the Braves simply went after the guy who has available. Zack Greinke was (and still is) liked by the front office, but the Brewers just aren't ready to deal him. A guy such as Francisco Liriano or Jason Vargas present more questions than they do answers, so that did not work either.
On the season, Dempster is 5-4 with an ERA of 2.11, FIP of 3.28, and has a solid K/BB ratio of 2.85.
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