Report: Cubs had 'bombshell' trade plans collapse

The Boston Red Sox may have inadvertently derailed a major move by their former architect Theo Epstein when they acquired All-Star lefty Drew Pomeranz from the Padres last week.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported Tuesday that the Chicago Cubs tried to acquire Pomeranz so they could flip him for another starting pitcher in what was described as a potential "bombshell" trade. According to Rosenthal, the Cubs were targeting a pitcher under team control for even longer than Pomeranz, who's signed through the 2018 season.

The report did not identify who that pitcher was, but Rosenthal's source said he's a name who is "not out there (publicly), and probably is not going anywhere now."

Rosenthal didn't offer any speculative guesses, though the source's assertion that the pitcher's name isn't out there publicly suggests it wasn't someone like Rays ace Chris Archer.

The Cubs' master plan fizzled, however, when they balked at the Padres' reported asking price of Javier Baez in the deal. San Diego would eventually settle on highly touted right-hander Anderson Espinoza, Boston's top pitching prospect, in exchange for Pomeranz.