The Chicago Cubs on Thursday traded outfielder Joc Pederson to the Atlanta Braves. In exchange, the Cubs received minor league first baseman Bryce Ball, according to a press release from the team.

This move comes as the Cubs have lost 13 of their 15 games before the All-Star break.

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Pederson was on a one-year contract with the Cubs. He posted a .230 batting average with 11 home runs, 39 RBI’s and 11 doubles in 73 games for the Chicago-based team. 

Ball, on the other hand, was the 24th round pick of the Braves in the 2019 draft. He has appeared in 115 career minor league games with a .278 batting average and 23 home runs. This season, Ball has six home runs and 30 RBI’s in High-A Rome for the Braves.

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The MLB trade deadline is set at July 30 and letting go of Joc Pederson is the Chicago Cubs’ first move to come out of their lean patch. Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez’s contracts expire by the end of the year and the team could let them go. However, there is no official word.

Pederson comes with a lot of center field experience over his career. He is expected to address Atlanta Braves requirements in the outfield, especially after their star Ronald Acuna Jr was lost for the season due to a torn ACL. Joc Pederson will more likely be deployed as a corner outfielder for the Braves.

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Bryce Ball was ranked 12th-best prospect for the Braves’ farm system by the MLB Pipeline. Ball, 23, might be just the right fit for the Chicago Cubs if their development system manages to get the best of him. 

The Cubs will resume their season on Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.