Fowler batted .276 (120-for-434) with a .375 on-base percentage and a .399 slugging percentage in 116 games for the Astros last season. He drew at least 65 walks for the fourth season in a row (66). Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Outfielder Dexter Fowler was traded from the Houston Astros to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for right-handed pitcher Dan Straily and infielder Luis Valbuena.
Fowler, 28, gives the Cubs speed at the top of the order and is on the move for the second consecutive season. He played last season in Houston following five seasons with the Colorado Rockies.
Straily, 26, is 13-12 with a 4.54 ERA in 48 appearances covering parts of three big league seasons with the Oakland Athletics (2012-14) and Cubs (2014). He was acquired by the Cubs as part of the trade Jeff Samardzija deal that also sent and Jason Hammel to Oakland for infielder Addison Russell and outfielder Billy McKinney.
Fowler’s 57 triples in the past six seasons leads all of baseball. A switch-hitter with a career .271 batting average and .366 on-base percentage, Fowler is a career .299 hitter with a .391 on-base percentage when batting from the right side of the plate and a career .259 hitter with a .356 on-base from the left side.
Fowler batted .276 (120-for-434) with a .375 on-base percentage and a .399 slugging percentage in 116 games for the Astros last season. He drew at least 65 walks for the fourth season in a row (66).
Valbuena, 29, was claimed off waivers by the Cubs in April 2012. He is a career .229 hitter (415-for-1,809) with 45 homers and 173 RBIs in 576 games with the Seattle Mariners (2008), Cleveland Indians (2009-11), and Cubs (2012-14).
