Cubs Bring Back Aaron Civale as Rotation Injuries Pile Up

The Chicago Cubs traded for right-hander Aaron Civale on Saturday, sending minor league pitcher Aiden Moffett to the Athletics in a deal that adds another arm to a Cubs rotation missing several starters to injury.

The trade, which also sent cash to the Cubs, was completed shortly after Chicago's 6-2 win over the Minnesota Twins. Civale had been designated for assignment by the Athletics on Wednesday after signing a one-year contract with the club in February. He went 5-7 with a 5.42 ERA in 16 games, 15 of them starts, for Oakland this season.

This is the second time in less than a year that Civale has joined the Cubs. Chicago claimed him off waivers on Aug. 31, 2025, and used him out of the bullpen for the rest of that season. In five relief appearances covering 13 innings, he went 1-0 with a save and a 2.08 ERA. He also threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings in relief during the postseason against Milwaukee. Before that stint with the Cubs, he had pitched for the Brewers and the White Sox earlier in 2025, meaning he appeared for three different teams tied to Chicago and Milwaukee in one season before Oakland signed him over the winter.

Over eight major league seasons with six organizations, Civale has a career record of 48-51 with a 4.26 ERA. He is a right-hander who pitches to contact and mixes pitches rather than overpowering hitters, and he has been used as both a starter and a reliever throughout his career.

The Cubs' rotation has been hit hard by injuries this season. Cade Horton is out for the year after Tommy John surgery. Jameson Taillon is sidelined with a hamstring injury, Edward Cabrera is dealing with a hamstring and abductor issue, Ben Brown has a neck injury, and Justin Steele is out with an elbow problem. All five are unavailable at the same time.

Civale gives manager Craig Counsell another option who can start or work multiple innings out of the bullpen, a role he already filled for the Cubs last season.

Moffett, the 22-year-old right-hander headed to Oakland, has struggled this season in the Cubs' lower minor league levels. He is 1-2 with a 9.67 ERA and one save in 17 relief appearances split between the Arizona Complex League Cubs and Single-A Myrtle Beach. Oakland gets a low-cost addition to its farm system as it continues restocking its minor league pitching depth.

For the Athletics, moving Civale clears a roster spot and ends a deal that didn't produce the results they were hoping for when they signed him in February. His 5.42 ERA and losing record made him a candidate for designation once the team needed room.

For the Cubs, the move addresses an immediate need: pitching depth. Civale has already pitched for the team once this year in a different uniform, and Counsell will decide whether he starts right away or eases in through relief work. Taillon, Cabrera, Brown and Steele are all still working through their injuries with no return timetable announced by the team.

Civale is expected to report to the Cubs within the next few days.