White Sox Get Cubs Closer Craig Kimbrel In Trade, Move Madrigal

CHICAGO — One day after the Chicago White Sox made a deal with the crosstown Cubs for bullpen help, the city’s first-place baseball team is making another splash with help from their North Side neighbors.

The White Sox acquired closer Craig Kimbrel just more than 90 minutes before Friday’s Major League Baseball trade deadline, the Cubs and White Sox announced Friday afternoon. Kimbrel, the former American League All-Star with the Boston Red Sox, provides the White Sox another piece in their hunt for an American League Central Division title and beyond.

In 39 appearances this season, Kimbrel has registered 23 saves and has a 2-3 record with 64 strikeouts and a 0.49 ERA in 36.2 innings pitched. The trade comes a day after the Sox obtained reliever Ryan Tupera from the Cubs.

“We viewed Craig as the premier relief pitcher available at this trade deadline, and so we knew the cost would be steep in terms of parting with young talent,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said in a statement issued by the team. “But we recognize the special opportunity that currently exists and our team, our clubhouse and our fans deserve to know we will do everything we can to reach the postseason and win meaningful games in October.”

In exchange, the Cubs will receive second baseman Nick Madrigal and pitcher Codi Heuer.

Madrigal, 24, is hitting .305 (61-for-200) with 10 doubles, four triples, two home runs, 21 RBI and a .349 on-base percentage in 54 games for the White Sox this season.

Heuer, 25, in his 2020 major league debut season with the White Sox was 3-0 with a save, six holds and a 1.52 ERA (4 ER/23.2 IP) in 21 relief appearances. He walked nine and struck out 25, good for an average of 9.5 strikeouts per 9.0 innings. His 1.52 ERA ranked sixth among A.L. relievers while his .145 opponent batting average was seventh.

Selected by the White Sox in the sixth round of the 2018 draft, Heuer this season is 4-1 with 13 holds and a 5.12 ERA (22 ER/38.2 IP) in 40 relief appearances. He has averaged 9.1 strikeouts per 9.0 innings with 39 strikeouts compared to 10 walks and has stranded 19 of 23 inherited runners.

The trade comes a day after the Cubs traded first baseman Anthony Rizzo to the New York Yankees and comes on a day when third baseman and former National League MVP Kris Bryant was traded to the San Francisco Giants. The acquisition of Madigral opened the door for the Cubs to trade star shortstop Javier Baez, who was traded to the New York Mets on a busy day of trading for the resigning National League Central Division champions.