(670 The Score) For the second straight day, the Cubs and White Sox on Friday agreed to a trade. This one was of the blockbuster variety.
The Cubs traded All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel to the White Sox, the teams announced just more than hour before the 3 p.m. deadline. The addition gives the championship-contending White Sox a dynamic tandem at the back end of their bullpen, as they already had an All-Star closer of their own in Liam Hendriks.
In return, the White Sox sent second baseman Nick Madrigal and reliever Codi Heuer to the Cubs.
Kimbrel, 33, was a hot commodity on the trade market because of his dominance this season. Kimbrel has a 0.49 ERA and 0.71 WHIP while striking out 64 batters in 36 2/3 innings across 39 appearances.
“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. “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.”
How the White Sox delegate ninth-inning duties with two star closers remains to be seen, but Hendriks on multiple occasions in the past has expressed a willingness to pitch in any high-leverage situation the team needs.
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Madrigal, 24, hit .305 with two homers, 21 RBIs and a .774 OPS in 54 games in 2021 before undergoing season-ending hamstring surgery in June. He's expected to be healthy for spring training in 2022. The White Sox selected Madrigal at No. 4 overall in the first round of the 2018 amateur draft.
Heuer, 25, has great stuff but struggled this season, posting a 5.12 ERA in 40 appearances and squandering his opportunity to be a trusted member of the White Sox's bullpen. He had a strong 2020 season, posting a 1.52 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in 21 appearances.
The Cubs signed Kimbrel to a three-year, $43-million deal in June 2019. The intention was for Kimbrel to serve as the lockdown closer for a team with championship aspirations, but he struggled in 2019 while the Cubs floundered late and missed the playoffs. Kimbrel regained his superb form in 2020 and has followed that up with an even better season, but he was ticketed to leave town as soon as the Cubs fell out of playoff contention. His contract includes a $16-million team option for 2022.
On Thursday, the White Sox acquired reliever Ryan Tepera from the Cubs in exchange for a minor league pitcher.