The Chicago Cubs added some much-needed starting depth by acquiring veteran right-hander Aaron Civale and cash considerations from the Athletics for pitching prospect Aiden Moffett, the teams announced Saturday.
The A's designed Civale for assignment earlier this week.
This will be the 31-year-old's second stint with Chicago and the second time he's been acquired by the North Siders within the past 12 months. Civale, who pitched for three teams in 2025, joined the Cubs as a waiver claim last August and made five relief appearances for them down the stretch, plus another one in the playoffs.
Civale signed with the A's on a one-year, $6-million deal in February but ultimately couldn't stick in their rotation. In 16 appearances (15 starts) for the A's, he posted a career-worst 5.42 ERA, 5.34 FIP, and 1.62 WHIP along with 58 strikeouts and 23 walks.
He gives the Cubs another arm with length to start while providing a boost to an injury-riddled pitching staff. Chicago currently has 12 pitchers, including five starters, on the injured list. Shota Imanaga, Javier Assad, and Colin Rea are the team's only starters who've managed to avoid the IL this year.
Civale owns a lifetime 4.26 ERA and 1.25 WHIP with 723 strikeouts over parts of eight big-league seasons with six teams.
The Cubs signed the 22-year-old Moffett last summer as an undrafted free agent out of Texas. The right-handed reliever made just 23 NCAA appearances split between LSU and Texas before turning pro.
Moffett has split his first professional season between the Cubs' Arizona rookie league and Low-A Myrtle Beach affiliates. In 17 total appearances between the two levels, he owns a 9.67 ERA and 2.42 WHIP and has issued more walks (42) than he has strikeouts (25). However, he also sports a 10.1 K/9 rate while allowing only two homers in 22 1/3 innings.
