One of the most dramatic Cubs moves of deadline day existed only online—and the reporter responsible later called the mistake the lowest moment of his career.
Michael Cerami, editor-in-chief of Bleacher Nation, reported that Chicago had acquired Angels starter Reid Detmers. The news appeared plausible given the Cubs’ need for pitching, Detmers’ 145 strikeouts and the active negotiations between the two organizations.
The problem was that the deal had not been completed.
Los Angeles Angels’ Reid Detmers pitches against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) AP Photo/Scott Strazzante
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers and MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand quickly contradicted the report, but Cerami initially continued backing his source.
“I haven’t been wrong before, and I trust my source,” Cerami wrote, adding that he would retract the report and apologize if it proved incorrect.
As the deadline unfolded, Chicago found its pitching elsewhere. The Cubs acquired left-hander Braxton Garrett from the Miami Marlins before completing a separate deal with the Angels for reliever Ryan Zeferjahn.
Cerami eventually deleted his original post, acknowledged the error and apologized. He later issued a more personal statement explaining that the mistake compounded an already disastrous day for Bleacher Nation, whose website had broken during one of the busiest dates on the baseball calendar.
The combination made for “the most frustrating, rotten, and disappointing day” of his professional career, Cerami wrote.
A Chicago Cubs fan reacts as he watches a baseball game during the eighth inning between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cubs on Sunday, July 9, 2017, in Chicago. (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) AP
“Just a total failure,” he added. “I feel like I let a lot of people down today. And it’s pretty crushing.”
Cerami said the site would provide more information about what happened later in the week. His post did not explain exactly how the faulty report reached publication, but it went beyond a routine correction by acknowledging the damage it caused.
The episode illustrated how quickly a plausible deadline rumor can become an inaccurate report. Although Cerami’s initial insistence made the mistake more visible, he deserves credit for what followed: He deleted the post, issued an unequivocal correction and accepted responsibility without hiding behind his source.
In an industry where mistakes can disappear beneath the next breaking-news alert, Cerami did not wait for the cycle to bury his—he confronted it publicly and took genuine accountability.
The Cubs landed the pitchers they wanted. Detmers remained with the Angels. Cerami was left to process a deadline day he will not soon forget.
