CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs and White Sox got together for a huge deal Friday in the final hours of the trade deadline.
The Cubs sent closer Craig Kimbrel to the Sox for second baseman Nick Madrigal and reliever Codi Heuer.
The deal gives the Sox one of the best one-two late-inning punches in the majors with Kimbrel and Liam Hendriks. And the Cubs receive two young players who have already shown some of their potential in the big leagues.
“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,” said Sox general manager Rick Hahn in a statement. “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.”
Madrigal, 24, underwent season-ending surgery on June 15 to repair his torn right hamstring. The No. 4 pick in the 2018 draft ends the 2021 season with a .305/.349/.425 slash line, 10 doubles, four triples, two home runs, 21 RBIs and 30 runs in 54 games.
Heuer, 25, made a big impact out of the pen as a rookie in 2020, going 3-0 with a 1.52 ERA in 21 appearances. The right-hander hasn’t found that same consistency this season. He’s 4-1 with a 5.12 ERA in 40 appearances.
It’s the second swap between the two Chicago baseball teams this week, with relief pitcher Ryan Tepera traded Thursday.
Kimbrel, the active leader in all-time saves with 371, has been one of baseball’s best relievers in an All-Star season. Kimbrel has held opposing hitters to a .106 average, .190 on-base percentage and .336 OPS this season while his 0.49 ERA tops MLB relievers.
After signing with the Cubs in June 2019, Kimbrel struggled, finishing the year with a 6.53 ERA, and those issues carried into the shortened 2020 season. But he got on track last September and since then Kimbrel owns a 0.41 ERA (two earned runs in 44 innings), going 24 of 26 in save opportunities. Kimbrel’s 2.1 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) leads all big league relievers.
Kimbrel was an attractive trade asset for the Cubs beyond his stellar numbers. He’s more than just a rental piece; Kimbrel has a $16 million option for 2022 with a $1 million buyout. While that’s not an insignificant number — only five MLB relievers currently have an average annual value salary of at least $16 million — Kimbrel brings a Hall of Fame-caliber resume to his new team.
