The Cubs have claimed right-hander Aaron Civale off waivers from the White Sox, according to a team announcement. Left-hander Tom Cosgrove was designated for assignment to make room for Civale on the 40-man roster. In addition the White Sox announced that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Bryse Wilson to replace Civale on the club’s active and 40-man rosters.
Civale, 30, made his big league debut with Cleveland back in 2019 and posted a 3.77 ERA across 76 starts with the organization, but is now on his fifth team in the past three years as he’s changed hands between Cleveland, Tampa, Milwaukee, and now both Chicago teams. His numbers haven’t been nearly as good since he left the Guardians; since he was traded to Tampa, he’s pitched to a lackluster 4.78 ERA in 59 appearances with a 4.53 FIP and a 22.1% strikeout rate against a 7.5% walk rate. The numbers have been even less impressive this year, as he’s posted a 5.26 ERA with a 4.60 FIP in 16 starts between the Brewers and White Sox this year.
All of that might make it seem somewhat surprising that a Cubs team with designs on making it back to the postseason for the first time in a 162-game season since 2018 would have interest in his services. Despite Civale’s middling results, however, he’s still an appealing addition for Chicago thanks to the fact that he can log reliable innings for the club and help keep their top pitchers fresh ahead of the postseason. 2025 All-Star Matthew Boyd has already logged 153 1/3 innings this year despite having last thrown even 80 innings in a single season all the way back in 2019. Meanwhile, rookie Cade Horton has racked up 127 1/3 frames between Triple-A and the majors despite having never even thrown 90 innings in a season before.
Those heavy workloads could come with consequences by the time October rolls around, and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported this morning that the Cubs are already keeping a close eye on Boyd’s workload after he posted a 4.10 ERA in his last seven starts. Horton, meanwhile, has been among the very best pitchers in baseball since the All Star break with a 0.86 ERA in eight starts, but even he has thrown more than 74 pitches in just one of his six starts during the month of August. With Horton and Boyd likely to join Shota Imanaga at the front of Chicago’s rotation for the playoffs, it would make sense for the Cubs to try and ease off the gas for those players while leaning on their depth for the stretch run.
The problem with that plan is that Chicago’s depth has been taxed heavily by injuries. Front-of-the-rotation lefty Justin Steele has been out almost the entire year due to UCL surgery, and since then the Cubs have also lost both Jameson Taillon and deadline addition Mike Soroka to the injured list. Javier Assad has looked quite good since returning from his own stint on the injured list, but other arms will need to join him in helping lift up the front of the rotation if the Cubs are going to be able to rest Boyd and Horton this September.
That’s where Civale comes in, as he can join with other back-end starters and swingmen the Cubs have at their disposal like Assad, Ben Brown, and Colin Rea to help take the load off of Chicago’s projected playoff starters. At the very least, he should be able to serve as a capable bridge to players like Soroka and Taillon, who may be activated off the injured list before the end of the regular season. It’s also possible the Cubs will be able to get something more than innings out of Civale, given his past success and the solid enough 4.28 FIP he posted during his time with the White Sox.
In exchange for Civale’s services, the Cubs will pay the remainder of the right-hander’s $8MM salary for the 2025 campaign. That should free up some money for the White Sox as they look ahead towards the 2025-26 offseason and hope for better days next year. It will also provide opportunities for other arms to step into the rotation and show what they can do ahead of the offseason. Perhaps that will include Wilson, who was outrighted off the White Sox roster back in June after surrendering a 6.95 ERA in 45 1/3 appearances. Now that he’s back on the roster, perhaps Wilson will be able to finish the season strong at the big league level as he heads towards what will likely be free agency in the offseason, unless he pitches so well that the White Sox are convinced to tender him a contract for 2026.
As for Cosgrove, the lefty has a 2.25 ERA across four appearances with the Cubs this year after spending most of the season at Triple-A. He’s logged 70 big league innings in total over the past three years, the majority of which came as a member of the Padres, and in that time he’s pitched to a 3.86 ERA with a 4.07 FIP. The Cubs will have one week to try and pass Cosgrove through waivers, at which point they’ll have the opportunity to assign him outright to the minors if he goes unclaimed.
Civale, Santana…cubbies still aren’t claiming the right players. I know it’s slim pickings, but why bother?
Well that’s easy. Playoffs. Cubs are almost guaranteed in and will need to rest starters for those games.
Cubs are WC lock who won’t win division. Civale can chew up some Sept IPs even if they are in defeat. He’s at least a pending FA with motivation to be signable (even though not good).
If Civale is just to get rest for Boyd, Horton and Imanaga, then why not?
OK I get that. But if that’s the only point why not let Brown or Wicks get the Sept. innings for the experience. If the point is rest why pick up stew bums to do it? SMH Never met a POBO who hates his own prospects like Gollum.
Mike, what if Boyd or Horton gets hurt? Not even an arm injury, just a nasty comebacker or a pulled hamstring? Taillon is already gimpy.
Do you want Rea, Civale, Assad, or Brown bring forced to start game 3 of a WC series?
It’s only money.
Huh? If Civale or Rea is starting a game in a playoff series I won’t even bother watching because I would rather stick an Ice pick in my eyes. And yes I would much rather Brown or Assad started that game, That’s just common sense.
Have you watched either Wicks or Brown pitch?
Mike probably thought that the front office gave up too soon on Sean Gallagher from the 2008 team.
Brown has gotten the snot kicked out of him over the last couple of weeks.
ex-Cleveland guys who GM Carter Hawkins knows. Civale slots in for Taillon. They can now rest Taillon all the way until the last week of the season and then have him pitch two tune-up starts that last week in case he is needed for the NLDS.
If they have locked up the number 1 WC before the last two series, they can give Imanaga, Boyd, and Horton 70 pitch tune-up starts to line up for the NLWCS and let Civale, Taillon (if healthy), Rea, Assad, and Brown eat most of the innings in those last two series.
You already knew this but Soroka is done for the season
No he’s not 😂
Soroka threw a bullpen and supposedly felt fine so they’re going to send him to Iowa to make a couple appearances. I’m assuming for a relief role this time.
You are a sucker lol
Personally I could care less if he ever throws another pitch for the Cubs. LOL
You could care less? So you do care, at least a little.
The deadline was when Hoyer was supposed to bolster the pitching staff. And what a wonderful job he did..
Do the Sox get something in return?
Other than salary relief?
Prospect lottery ticket?
El zilcho.
Believe just salary-which is a huge win in eyes of JR.
No they don’t get salary. They just don’t pay the remaining of his contract
Hence the phrase “salary relief”
How do you spell relief?
R O L A I D S
Cubs claiming a White Sox player?
I await Alan53’s arguments on how this makes the White Sox better than the Cubs
Well, it doesn’t make them worse! Civale stinks.
I get a kick out of your obsession with me, Stein. Sorry, I’m taken.
Meanwhile, Andrew Vaughn is hitting .292/.361/.497 in almost 200 PAs for the Brewers.
And .208 last 15 games, regressing to his mean
Certainly possible. We’ll see.
His expected stats (.278/.355/.491) based on his metrics are right in line with his overall performance with the Brewers though, so it doesn’t seem like he’s been riding a prolonged wave of crazy good luck or anything.
He also found Ryan Braun’s stash though. That’s why he’s doing so well but also if he shaved his head be would look a lot like Powder.
I think it’s far likelier just a function of switching to a much more competent organization.
Civale – couldn’t you have released me earlier to go play with a potential contender
He would have been exposed to waivers before release anyway, and the outcome would have been the same.
The Cubbies don’t count?!
Another great move by the cubbies.
If only Jed were this active during the trade deadline.
He was active- getting his own contract extended.
I’m surprised the White Sox did not do the same with Martin Perez and give him a shot to be claimed by a contending team.
@Mohoney: Perez has a “net” value 8.5mil mutual option. It might be the rare instance with missing lot of season that both agree on it for ’26. Could be part of so called spending after they should decline lazy LRJ’s 20mil club option.
Perez wants to stay with Sox. Says he’ll stay with Sox for 1..5 million to pitch & mentor the young pitchers & eventually stay with organization after playing career. That was in a article on Sox official site. Talks about the upcoming strengths of the pitching staff & wanting to stay.
Maybe they did and nobody claimed him.
Perez pitching today!
Sox ace
Perez wants to stay with Sox. Says he’ll stay with Sox for 1..5 million to pitch & mentor the young pitchers. That was in a article on Sox official site. Talks about the upcoming strengths of the pitching staff & wanting to stay.
This means we traded Vaughn and Civale for absolutely nothing. Sell the damn team!!!!
But nearly every Sox fan was wanting them to just release Vaughn. And now everone gives a hoot? Make up ya minds
Vaughn was going to be non tendered at the end of the year.
He did sell the team
Now that’s wishful thinking.
Over his last four starts, Civale has given up 21 earned runs in 19 innings.
Is that good?
;-)
Sounds like a number 2 starter for the Sox.
Sounds like a guy Jed would be all over.
Civale has been tnrowing BP all year
For all the Cubs fans complaining, it could have been worse, it could have been Jose Urena…
Well Hoyer blew the offseason trade deadline and for the trifecta waiver claims
Cubs don’t have the pitching to make a serious run in the playoffs. Even their offense isn’t great now since they lost their slug. They will be a one-and-done even if they make it as a wild card.
He’s a mediocre arm to soak up some dog day innings.
If he can give the big guys a couple extra days off he’ll serve his purpose.