Tommy Hunter to Cubs: Latest Trade Details, Comments and Reaction

Just minutes before the MLB trade deadline passed Friday, the Chicago Cubs agreed to send outfielder Junior Lake to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for reliever Tommy Hunter, the Orioles announced.

Hunter, 29, is 2-2 on the season with a 3.63 ERA and 1.16 WHIP, serving as a late-inning stopper before Baltimore closer Zach Britton. He has spent parts of the last five seasons with the Orioles, first struggling as a starter before finding his niche in the bullpen.

Largely reliable throughout 2013 and 2014, Hunter got off to a miserable start this season. He had a 4.71 ERA over the first two months and clearly moved behind Darren O'Day in the team hierarchy. June and July have seen him return to form, but he's a free agent after this season, and Baltimore is barely above water in the AL playoff race.

Getting Lake, who cannot become a free agent until 2020, is solid value. The utility outfielder is hitting .224/.274/.345 with one home run and five RBI in 21 appearances. He was a regular in the lineup throughout last season before losing his starting job to the plethora of high-profile acquisitions in Chicago.

The Cubs have enough outfield depth in their organization to withstand Lake's loss and should shore up their bullpen for the pennant race. Chicago already had the eighth-best wins above replacement for relievers this season, per FanGraphs, and Hunter should combine with Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop and Jason Motte for a solid October foundation.

After watching the Royals bullpen carry them all the way to the World Series, the Cubs may be looking for a similar outcome this summer. Either way, it's a solid low-cost move as the deadline passes.  

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.