Players are typically on high alert at the end of July due to trade reports and rumors, but getting traded can still come as a surprise. That was the case for Brandon Kintzler.
Kintzler was traded by the Washington Nationals to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, hours before the non-waiver deadline passed. He was caught off-guard by the trade, with two reporters describing him as being “shocked” by the news.
Kintzler, by the way, was shocked. Thought at first it was a joke but then realized it’s not April Fool’s. Admitted this is a business and that’s how it goes.
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) July 31, 2018
Kintzler is shocked. He said he thought it was a joke. Wanted to stay.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) July 31, 2018
There are a few reasons why the trade would have been unexpected for Kintzler. One, he was coming back from an injury that caused him to miss time in June and hadn’t really been a part of trade rumors. Two, the Nationals were not necessarily viewed as sellers, so it’s reasonable for their players to have expected that they would remain with the team.
Washington acquired pitcher Jhon Romero from Chicago as part of the deal.
