Cubs Extra: The cost of chasing championships often reaches lofty prospect heights

Former Cub prospect Eloy Jimenez’s game-winning home run for the White Sox on Tuesday and former Cub prospect Josh Donaldson’s return to Wrigley this week with the Braves are easy reminders – and easier excuses for criticism – of costs contending teams often are willing to pay to “win now.”

“It would have been interesting to see how it would have turned out the other way, trying to preserve all of our prospect depth along the way,” Team president Theo Epstein said just ahead of the Sox series.

Epstein wasn’t around when the Cubs included Donaldson, who turned into the 2015 MVP, in the trade to Oakland for Rich Harden in 2008.

But here are five players Epstein traded who are now paying off for other teams – and what the Cubs got in return.

1. Jimenez, a powerful outfielder considered a cornerstone in the Sox rebuild and possible Rookie of the Year candidate. Traded in a July 2017 package for 4½ years of control of 2016 All-Star Jose Quintana – who helped stabilize a playoff rotation.
2. Gleyber Torres, a top shortstop prospect, who became an All-Star rookie for the Yankees’ playoff team last year. Traded in a July 2016 package for closer Aroldis Chapman – whose 103-mph power for three months was key to the Cubs’ first World Series title in 108 years.
3. Dan Vogelbach, a prospect without a position, now having so powerful a breakout season for the Mariners it’s earned him a “Vogey Hoagie” menu item at the Seattle ballpark. Traded in a July 2016 package for lefty Mike Montgomery – who recorded the final out of the World Series and last year rescued the rotation with a career-high 19 starts.
4. Jorge Soler, an athletic outfielder who couldn’t stay healthy, now has played every game for the Royals this year (through Thursday), almost doubling his career high in homers along the way. Traded in December 2016 for closer Wade Davis – an All-Star in his lone Cubs season who recorded the final outs in a wild Game 5 Division Series clincher.
5. DJ LeMahieu, a versatile infielder who became a two-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove second baseman and 2016 batting champ after the December 2011 trade to the Rockies, now is in line for a third All-Star selection as a linchpin for an injury-plagued Yankees infield this year. The Cubs got Ian Stewart in that deal.

Can’t win ‘em all.

DID YOU KNOW

• The 54-degree game-time temperature for the Cubs-White Sox game at Wrigley Field on Wednesday was the coldest start to a June game at the ballpark since June 16, 2015, against Cleveland (also 54).
• Closer Craig Kimbrel, who might make his Cubs debut this week, has allowed only one run in seven appearances at Wrigley Field – the last time he pitched there (for the Padres). Starlin Castro drove in Anthony Rizzo with a walk-off single in the 11^th inning off him in that April 2015 game.

THAT’S WHAT HE SAID

“The way the ball’s coming off the bat right now, it’s extra-terrestrial. It’s like an ET kind of a thing going on out there. It’s crazy.” — Cubs manager Joe Maddon on the often strange look to some of the homers being hit during a record-setting year for them.

“I feel the future is coming soon. We have a lot of good young starting pitchers that I think sooner than later they will be here, too.” — Cubs rookie pitcher Adbert Alzolay on the Cubs’ eighth-year front office finally developing a homegrown pitching pipeline.

“I like it because that’ll put me there in about 17 years. He gives us all hope.” — Maddon on the Mets hiring 82-year-old former coach and manager Phil Regan on Thursday – 20 years after he last coached in the majors.

HIDDEN FIGURES

7 – Games gained in the NL East by the Braves during 14-4 start to June, putting them in first place, four games ahead of the Phillies, on June 19.

9 – Dodger Dogs consumed during four-game Cubs-Dodgers series last weekend by a visiting press box wag from Chicago.

5 – Cubs with 15 home runs before July (Rizzo, Baez, Bryant, Schwarber, Contreras). The only other team in history to do that, the Angels, did it three years before PED testing in 2003.

0 – Homegrown pitchers to throw a pitch for the Cubs in 37 postseason games during the eighth-year regime of the current front office.