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Rafael Ortega Shares Frustration With Trade Deadline Rumors

By Larry Rupp

Chicago Cubs outfielder Rafael Ortega shared his frustration with trade deadline rumors.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Rafael Ortega shared his frustration with trade deadline rumors. / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
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Considering they sit 11.5 games back of a NL Wild Card spot, the Chicago Cubs line up to be sellers at the MLB trade deadline for the second season in a row. No one on the roster is safe, but outfielder Rafael Ortega has a much different mindset about hearing his name in rumors than others do.

Chicago Cubs Trade Rumors

Ortega is a veteran left-handed batter that has posted a .839 OPS against right-handed pitchers since the start of the 2021 season. He knows that is going to make him an intriguing target for contending teams and shared a candid reaction to the the frustration that comes with the situation.

“I don’t just play for my team. I also play for the other (29) teams that are looking and have scouts who are observing. If another team might be interested in me, it would be an honor for me. But I'm just taking care of my business, controlling things that I can, day in and day out."

- Rafael Ortega on trade rumors

It was an unusual answer considering many players opt to give praise to their current organization when asked about the possibility of being traded. Ortega is a realist, though. While he has yet to be part of a trade in his career, he has bounced around between five teams in the last decade.

In 2022, Ortega is slashing .259/.352/.388 across 74 games to go along with 24 runs scored, 12 doubles, 4 home runs, 22 RBI and 7 stolen bases. The 31-year-old is also under team control for four more seasons.

Of course, Ortega isn't the only Cubs player hearing his name being floated around. Catcher Willson Contreras, outfielder Ian Happ and closer David Robertson are all said to have multiple suitors. Keep an eye on Chicago as the August deadline looms closer.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

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