Cubs trade Mark Leiter Jr. to Yankees

The Chicago Cubs traded reliever Mark Leiter Jr. to the New York Yankees in exchange for infielder Ben Cowles and right-hander Jack Neely, the teams announced.

Leiter, who's under team control through 2026, lengthens the Yankees' bullpen and can be deployed in a variety of situations. The 33-year-old owns a 13.1 K/9 rate along with a 4.21 ERA, 2.11 FIP, and 1.10 WHIP across 39 relief appearances for the Cubs this season.

Despite his high ERA, Leiter ranks among the best swing-and-miss relievers in baseball, placing in the 98th percentile of both strikeout percentage and whiff percentage.

Neely, 24, is ranked as the Yankees' No. 20 prospect by Baseball America. The reliever posted a 2.81 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with 63 strikeouts and six saves over 31 combined outings split between Double-A and Triple-A this season.

Cowles, who's currently on the injured list, has experience playing second base, third base, and shortstop in the minors. The 24-year-old is hitting .295/.376/.472 with nine homers, 51 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases in 88 games at Double-A.