Cubs Bolster Pitching
Cubs Acquire Right-Hander Aaron Civale to Bolster Injury-Plagued Pitching Rotation
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Key Points
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Civale was designated for assignment by Oakland on the Wednesday before the trade and was claimed off waivers by the Cubs on Aug. 31, 2025, returning to Chicago for the second time in his career.
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Civale's 2026 season has been up-and-down: he entered with a 5-7 record and 5.42 ERA over 16 appearances (15 starts) after a strong start (3.23 ERA in 60 2/3 innings through March–April) and has 58 strikeouts in 74 2/3 innings.
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The Cubs' rotation has been ravaged by injuries, with Cade Horton out for the season and Jameson Taillon, Edward Cabrera, Ben Brown and Justin Steele all sidelined.
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Moffett is a 22-year-old undrafted free agent who has appeared in the Cubs’ minor-league system this season, posting a 9.67 ERA with 17 relief appearances; additional reporting notes he has walked a high number of batters (42 over 22.1 IP) across levels.
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Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer indicated that the team hopes injured players return to health and that the club can keep receiving positive injury news as the trade deadline approaches.
The Chicago Cubs have acquired right-hander Aaron Civale from the Oakland Athletics, sending minor league reliever Aiden Moffett and cash in return, according to ABC7 Chicago. The move is the Cubs' latest bid to patch a rotation ravaged by injuries as the trade deadline nears.
Civale, 31, is no stranger to Chicago. He posted a 2.08 ERA in five relief appearances for the Cubs in 2025 and threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings in the postseason. Now he returns for a second stint, this time aiming to eat innings in a starting role, per NBC Chicago.
Cubs' Rotation Has Been Decimated by Injuries
Chicago's pitching staff is in crisis mode. Cade Horton is out for the season. Jameson Taillon, Edward Cabrera, Ben Brown, and Justin Steele are all sidelined. That's five starters down, leaving the Cubs scrambling for arms, according to NBC Chicago.
The Cubs sit six games behind the Brewers in the NL Central but currently hold the NL wild-card spot. Cubs president Jed Hoyer said the team hopes injured players return to health and that the club can "keep receiving positive injury news" as the deadline approaches, per ABC7 Chicago.
Civale's Mixed 2026 Season Before Oakland DFA'd Him
Civale's 2026 numbers are a tale of two halves. He started strong, posting a 3.23 ERA in 60 2/3 innings through March and April. But he faded badly, finishing with a 5-7 record and a 5.42 ERA over 16 appearances — 15 of them starts — with 58 strikeouts in 74 2/3 innings, according to ABC7 News.
Oakland designated him for assignment earlier this week. The Cubs quickly claimed him off waivers. Chicago is betting that a return to familiar surroundings — and manager Craig Counsell, who also managed him before — can unlock a steadier version of Civale.
Moffett Is a High-Risk Minor Leaguer Heading to Oakland
The price Chicago paid was modest. Aiden Moffett is a 22-year-old undrafted free agent who has pitched in the Cubs' minor league system this season. His numbers are rough: a 9.67 ERA across 17 relief appearances, per NBC Chicago.
Control has been his biggest problem. Moffett has walked 42 batters in just 22.1 innings across levels. For Oakland, he's a long-shot developmental piece. For Chicago, giving him up for a proven major league arm — even a shaky one — was an easy call.
Civale Reunites With Counsell in a Familiar Clubhouse
Civale's reunion with Counsell gives Chicago reason for optimism. The two worked together during Civale's first Cubs stint, when he was sharp in both the regular season and the postseason. The Cubs hope that comfort and familiarity translate into consistent outings down the stretch, according to ABC30.
Chicago is not done dealing. Hoyer is expected to be active before the deadline. But for now, Civale gives a battered rotation at least one more arm — and one that already knows how to win in Chicago.
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