Cardinals deal for Justin Masterson; Cubs add Felix Doubront

The day before the trading deadline proved calm Wednesday, with only two deals being made -- and only one affects the pennant race.

The St. Louis Cardinals acquired pitcher Justin Masterson from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Double-A outfielder James Ramsey.

It's been a tough year for Masterson, who will be a free agent at the end of the season. He began the year as Cleveland's ace, but he has slumped to a 4-6 record with a 5.51 ERA in 19 starts. He is on the disabled list with right knee inflammation, but the Cardinals expect to activate him for a start Saturday against the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers.

It's not surprising to see St. Louis move to upgrade its rotation, which is iffy once you get past Adam Wainwright.

Michael Wacha, who was the Cardinals' No. 2 starter in the postseason last year, is on the 60-day disabled list with a shoulder problem. Joe Kelly recently came back from an injury, and Shelby Miller is talented, but inconsistent. Lance Lynn is respectable as a middle-of-the-rotation arm, but he's probably not the guy you would want starting Game 2 of a playoff series.

With Wacha on the shelf, the Cardinals don't have that second guy they can count on and pair with Wainwright. St. Louis has the prospects necessary to acquire another ace, such as Jon Lester or David Price, but perhaps they've decided the asking price is too high.

Instead, they are hoping Masterson can get healthy and regain his 2013 form, when he went 14-10 for the Tribe with a 3.45 ERA, 195 strikeouts in 193 innings and a league-high three shutouts.

He's capable of being a No. 2 guy on a contender, if the injury issues are past.

Cubs acquire Doubront from Boston

In a move of lesser consequence, the Cubs on Wednesday acquired struggling left-hander Felix Doubront from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for a player to be named later.

Last week on MLB Network Radio, I heard Jim Bowden mention that Doubront had asked the Red Sox to either move him into the starting rotation or trade him.

The Red Sox elected to trade him.

Doubront won 11 games in each of the previous two seasons, but this year he was 2-4 with 6.07 ERA in 17 games (10 starts). A pitcher with an ERA over 6 is in no position to be telling team brass what his role should be. Doubront is lucky the Boston front office sent him to Chicago, and not to Triple-A.

Obviously, Doubront wants to start, and he might get that opportunity with his new team. The rebuilding Cubs have little to lose by giving him 10 starts or so between now and the end of the season.