CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs have a tentative trade in place to obtain right-hander Matt Garza from the Tampa Bay Rays, according to two people familiar with the negotiations. The Rays would receive outfielder Sam Fuld, minor league outfielder Brandon Guyer and several other prospects for Garza, who would be sent to Chicago along with prospects, the two people told The Associated Press on Friday.
They spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade was not yet final. It is subject to physicals for some players and approval of medical records for others, the two people said.
The 27-year-old Garza pitched a no-hitter against Detroit last season, when he went 15-10 with a 3.91 ERA. He spent his first two major league seasons with the Twins and the last three with the Rays.
Garza has a 42-44 career record with a 3.97 ERA. He beat Boston twice in the 2008 AL championship series to help the Rays advance to their first World Series, where they lost to the Phillies.
Garza would give the Cubs a top-of-the-rotation starter and join a rotation that also includes Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster.
He follows several other stars in leaving Tampa Bay, including first baseman Carlos Pena, who agreed to a $10 million, one-year contract with the Cubs. Others who departed the Rays include outfielder Carl Crawford, who received a $142 million, seven-year contract from Boston, and reliever Joaquin Benoit, who got a $16.5 million, three-year deal with Detroit.
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AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.