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Cubs Make Smart Move, Claim Starting Pitcher Aaron Civale From White Sox On Waivers

Originally posted on Chicago Cubs on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 2:37 PM ET

The No. 1 goal that the Chicago Cubs had ahead of the MLB trade deadline was to upgrade their starting pitching depth.

Rumors swirled, connecting the Cubs to multiple starting pitchers. Disappointingly, the only addition made was the acquisition of Michael Soroka from the Washington Nationals. Things only got worse when he was injured in his first appearance with the team and placed on the injured list.

Luckily for Chicago, the emergence of rookie Cade Horton has helped soften the blow of an underwhelming trade deadline. Matthew Boyd has remained healthy and productive atop the rotation along with Shota Imanaga as well. Beyond that, however, question marks remained.

Jameson Taillon is back on the injured list. Javier Assad has been sidelined for a bulk of the season. Justin Steele is out for the season. Ben Brown has not produced when called upon.

Boyd, Imanaga and Horton should be enough for a playoff series when rotations regularly drop to three players anyway. But, the Cubs have to get to the postseason first and navigate the final month of the regular season. That is why the move they made on Sunday afternoon makes so much sense.

Cubs Make Smart Move Claiming Aaron Civale From Brewers

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As shared by Jesse Rogers of ESPN , the team has claimed starting pitcher Aaron Civale from the Chicago White Sox.

After requesting a trade from the Milwaukee Brewers earlier in the year, he landed with the White Sox, where things have not gone particularly well. He has a -0.3 bWAR in 13 starts with the team, pitching 67 innings.

Overall, he has made 18 starts in 2025, throwing 89 innings with a 5.26 ERA and 74 strikeouts. Certainly not great production, but there have been stretches of excellence from him throughout his time in the Big Leagues. For his career, he has a 4.18 ERA between time with the Cleveland Guardians, Tampa Bay Rays, Brewers and White Sox.

Cubs claimed Aaron Civale off waivers from the Chicago White Sox, per the team.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) August 31, 2025

Civale is someone that Chicago can turn to in a pinch to eat innings at the backend of their rotation down the stretch should the need arise. He could be used in a hybrid role come October after showing he can handle it with three shutout innings out of the bullpen for Milwaukee in last year’s playoffs.

Ideally, he won’t be starting games for the Cubs in the postseason, because that means something has gone terribly wrong elsewhere.

At this point in the year, adding a player of Civale’s caliber as insurance and depth is a great move. With the return of Soroka unknown at this point, he can essentially fill whatever role the team had planned for him upon his arrival from the Nationals.