Today is a special day for the Chicago Cubs, as the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline will be the talk of the baseball world. The Cubs and President of Baseball Operations, Jed Hoyer, kicked things off yesterday by making a small trade for an extra arm, acquiring right-hander Michael Soroka from the Washington Nationals.
Soroka will help eat innings for the Cubs, as Ben Brown has shown he can’t handle being a starter. The Cubs still need to add a top-tier starter to pair with Shota Imanaga for a playoff series, but could look to shore up their bullpen, which they did with a trade with the Baltimore Orioles.
Chicago Cubs shore up their bullpen by acquiring a veteran arm from the Orioles
The Cubs won’t be one of the teams waiting around for all the players they desire to get swept up. So, the Cubs waded further into the trade market waters and acquired veteran reliever Andrew Kittredge from the Orioles, per USA Today columnist Bob Nightengale. Nightingale adds that the Cubs made the deal earlier in the day yesterday, but it will be announced this morning.
“The Chicago Cubs have acquired veteran Orioles reliever Andrew Kittredge. The deal was completed earlier in the day and will be announced in the morning”
The Chicago Cubs have acquired veteran Orioles reliever Andrew Kittredge. The deal was completed earlier in the day and will be announced in the morning
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 31, 2025
Kittredge, 35, is a former 45th-round pick of the Seattle Mariners from way back in the 2008 MLB Draft, and made his Major League debut on July 18, 2017, against the then Oakland Athletics. A veteran of close to a decade in the big leagues, the Cubs are getting a solid veteran reliever who can help lock down the sixth, seventh, or even eighth innings. The Cubs are familiar with Kittredge, as he appeared in 74 games out of the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen last season.
The Cubs, according to Baseball Reporter and BBWAA member Francys Romero, will send shortstop Wilfri del la Cruz to the Orioles in exchange for Kittredge.
“Sources: Dominican shortstop Wilfri de la Cruz, recently signed with the Cubs during the current 2024-2025 International signing Period, is the player heading to the Orioles in the trade for Andrew Kittredge.”
Sources: Dominican shortstop Wilfri de la Cruz, recently signed with the Cubs during the current 2024-2025 International signing Period, is the player heading to the Orioles in the trade for Andrew Kittredge.
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) July 31, 2025
What are the Cubs getting with Kittredge?
Kittredge has been a solid reliever, posting a 3.45 ERA in 285 career games. He has also been having a great season with the Orioles, pitching to a 3.56 ERA in 30 games.
As previously stated, Kittredge will add more depth to the Cubs’ bullpen and be a perfect option for the sixth, seventh, or eighth innings, with the sixth and eighth innings being his best spots. Kittredge has not allowed an earned run in three games in the sixth inning and has a 1.59 ERA in 13 games in the eighth inning.
The Cubs got a nice bonus in trading for Kittredge, as he has a $9 million club option for next year. The Cubs may hesitate to pick up that option, as that’s an increase of close to $7 million from his salary this season ($2,854,833). However, with the volatility of relief pitching being the way it is and the price of it looking to increase, the Cubs could pick it up.
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