The Chicago Cubs acquired right-hander Aaron Civale from the Oakland Athletics on Saturday in exchange for minor league prospect Aiden Moffett.
The deal adds pitching depth for the Cubs after the Athletics recently designated Civale for assignment, a development first reported in a tweet by Patrick Mooney of The Athletic.
Civale is a 31-year-old right-hander who signed a one-year contract worth $6 million with the Athletics in February after bouncing between several clubs in 2025, including a brief but effective stint with the Cubs.
This season, he has gone 5-6 with a 5.10 ERA in 15 starts for Oakland, allowing 92 hits and 22 walks while striking out 54 batters over 72 1/3 innings. Recent outings have been rough, including a 14-1 loss in which he lasted just 2 1/3 innings.
The Cubs have dealt with injuries to several pitchers this season, including Ben Brown (neck), Edward Cabrera (hamstring) and Jameson Taillon (hamstring), making the addition of a veteran arm valuable as they sit around .500 and contend in the NL Central.
Aiden Moffett, the player heading to Oakland, is a right-handed pitcher who has appeared for the Cubs’ Class A Myrtle Beach Pelicans and the Arizona Complex League this year.
The 22-year-old signed with Chicago as an undrafted free agent in July 2025 following his college career that included time at LSU and the University of Texas, where he posted a 2.25 ERA in limited action.
Moffett represents a low-cost prospect with intriguing stuff — including a fastball that can reach the high 90s — but limited professional experience in the transaction for the Athletics.
Civale has prior experience with the Cubs, having been claimed off waivers from the White Sox in August 2025 and posting a sparkling 2.08 ERA with 14 strikeouts and zero walks in five appearances, mostly out of the bullpen.
He has pitched for five other major league teams throughout his career since debuting with Cleveland in 2019, compiling a 4.22 career ERA over more than 800 innings with a reputation as a reliable innings-eater early in his tenure.
The trade allows the Cubs to potentially use Civale in the rotation or as a long reliever to provide stability amid their injury issues and push for a postseason berth in a competitive division.
For the Athletics, the move clears space on the roster while acquiring a young arm with upside in Moffett as they navigate their own season. The deal underscores both clubs’ efforts to balance immediate needs with future assets.
