As the MLB trade deadline inches closer, some teams are starting to reveal themselves as buyers and sellers. The Chicago Cubs appear to fit the former category. The team announced on Saturday that they have acquired right-handed starter Aaron Civale and cash considerations from the Athletics in exchange for minor league reliever Aiden Moffett. Civale had recently been designated for assignment by the A’s.
Aaron Civale Traded to Cubs
This will be Civale’s second stint with the North Siders. In 2025, he pitched in five games for the Cubs, all in relief. It was his third team for the season, having previously appeared for the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox. In those five games, Civale had a 1-0 record with a 2.08 ERA, a 0.538 WHIP, and 14 strikeouts in 13 innings of work. He also appeared in one game of the National League Division Series against the Brewers, pitching 4 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
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— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 18, 2026
Civale is an eight-year veteran, pitching for a total of six teams since debuting in 2019 with the then-Cleveland Indians. After parts of five seasons with Cleveland, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for Kyle Manzardo in 2023. Civale spent parts of two seasons with the Rays before they traded him to the Brewers in 2024.
Aiden Moffett to the A’s
Moffett, 22, signed with the Cubs as an undrafted free agent last year. Bouncing around at the college level, he last pitched for the University of West Virginia. This season, he has split time between the Cubs’ Arizona Coast League team (Rookie level) and Class-A Myrtle Beach. It hasn’t been an easy transition to the pros, as Moffett has a combined ERA of 9.67 in 22 1/3 total innings. But the fact that he’s still very young and just starting at the professional level gives him plenty of time to hone his skills in hopes of reaching the big leagues.
The Last Word
With the A’s returning him to a starter role this season, Civale could remain in that role with the Cubs. However, his rocky performance in 2026 indicates this could be more of a depth move, where they use him in a hybrid role or strictly as a reliever. In 16 appearances for the A’s (15 starts), he has a 5-7 record with a 5.42 ERA, 1.621 WHIP, and only 58 strikeouts in 74 2/3 innings.
Regardless of how the Cubs ultimately use Civale, those numbers simply won’t cut it. They are hoping the 31-year-old can become a valuable depth piece to make this deal worth it. Currently sitting in the top Wild Card spot in the NL, they need all the pitching they can get, and their trade deadline strategy will probably reflect that.
As for the A’s, they likely won’t miss Civale, as their DFA’ing him would indicate. Having lost 10 in a row, they now sit 7 1/2 games out of a Wild Card spot, and it looks like they will be soft sellers, holding onto their young core but putting most others on the market. Aaron Civale was the first to go, and in return, they get a prospect as they look to the future.
Main Photo Credit: © Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
