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Braves get INF-OF Bonifacio, LHP Russell from Cubs

By The Associated Press
Posted 8:18PM on Thursday 31st July 2014 ( 9 years ago )
CHICAGO -- The contending Atlanta Braves have acquired infielder-outfielder Emilio Bonifacio and left-handed reliever James Russell from the Chicago Cubs for catching prospect Victor Caratini.<br /> <br /> The Braves also got cash from the Cubs in Thursday's trade. Neither Bonifacio nor Russell played in the Cubs' 3-1 win over Colorado earlier in the day.<br /> <br /> Russell was in the Cubs bullpen when the trade was made. He hugged several of his teammates and coaches - and slapped hands with a few fans - as he exited while the game was going on.<br /> <br /> "It's kind of hard to wrap your head around it," Russell said. "It's obviously a shock. I knew things were gonna happen. There's really nothing you can do to prepare yourself for this. It's still kind of weird. I don't know how to feel. There's a lot of excitement, a lot of mixed emotions."<br /> <br /> The 29-year-old Bonifacio hit .279 with 18 RBIs and 14 steals in 69 games for the Cubs this season. The 28-year-old Russell went 0-2 with one save and a 3.51 ERA in 44 games.<br /> <br /> Atlanta is in the chase for the NL East and the Cubs are last in the NL Central.<br /> <br /> The 20-year-old Caratini was hitting .279 with five home runs and 42 RBIs at Class A Rome.<br /> <br /> "He's a guy we liked in the draft a lot," Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer. "We've said it all along, catching is a weakness in our system and we don't have enough of it."

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