The Chicago Cubs are in need of reinforcements for their starting rotation — and the return of injured left-hander Shota Imanaga won’t be enough on its own.
While Imanaga’s comeback is promising — especially after two dominant rehab outings in the Arizona Complex League — the team will still need to look outside for help. His next step could be a rehab start with Triple-A Iowa, according to multiple reports.
Even with Imanaga back in the mix, the Cubs’ rotation remains thin. Cade Horton has shown enough to keep his spot, which could push either Ben Brown or Colin Rea into the bullpen.
The loss of Justin Steele for the season has left a significant hole in Chicago’s depth. One potential solution may come from within the city: the Chicago White Sox.
Last week, the Milwaukee Brewers traded Aaron Civale to the White Sox after moving him to the bullpen to make room for top prospect Jacob Misiorowski. Civale had reportedly requested a trade as a result of the demotion.
Interestingly, Civale hadn’t even made a start for the White Sox before USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that the team is planning to move him again before the July 31 trade deadline.
“The White Sox expect to deal him by the deadline and believe they can net at least a couple of mid-tier prospects,” Nightengale wrote.
If that’s the asking price, it’s a reasonable return for a 30-year-old veteran who can eat innings and comes with no commitment beyond 2025.
Civale went 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA in six starts for Milwaukee before landing on the injured list with a hamstring strain. For his career, he holds a 40-37 record with a 4.06 ERA across 122 starts, with 596 strikeouts and 177 walks in 658.1 innings. He’s never made an All-Star team but has proven to be a reliable option for back-of-the-rotation depth.
A third-round pick by the Cleveland Guardians in the 2016 draft, Civale debuted in 2019. He’s already been involved in two deadline trades — first in 2023, when the Guardians dealt him to the Rays for prospect Kyle Manzardo, and again in 2024, when Tampa Bay sent him to the Brewers in exchange for Gregory Barrios.
A move to the Cubs would mark his third trade deadline deal in three years — and could be exactly what Chicago needs to solidify its pitching staff.