Improving the pitching staff was a priority for the Chicago Cubs as the trade deadline approached.
They made their first maneuver to address that part of the roster Wednesday night by acquiring right-hander Michael Soroka from the Washington Nationals, and they obtained 35-year-old reliever Andrew Kittredge from the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday morning.
The Cubs sent two prospects — outfielder Christian Franklin and infielder Ronny Cruz — to the Nationals in the deal for Soroka and traded minor-league infielder Wilfri De La Cruz for Kittredge.
Soroka brings relief and starting experience to the Cubs. How exactly he fits into the staff won’t be clear until the deadline passes at 5 p.m. Thursday and the full scope of the Cubs’ moves is known. They still should be pursuing another quality starter capable of making a postseason start, which won’t be easy or cheap to acquire in what is shaping up to be a seller’s market.
Soroka’s versatility will be an asset, however. Although he was used solely as a starter for the Nationals this year, 16 of his 25 appearances last season with the White Sox came out of the bullpen, where he thrived (2.75 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 36 innings).
Soroka, who turns 28 on Monday, is on an expiring contract after signing a one-year, $9 million deal in December with the Nationals.
He posted a 4.87 ERA in 16 starts for the Nationals. Underlying statistics indicated some unluckiness with a 4.12 FIP (fielding independent pitching). His ability to miss bats — a career-best 3.63 strikeout-to-walk ratio — is an asset to a Cubs staff that needs more whiffs.
His four-seam fastball and sinker velocities have dipped a couple of ticks over the last month, but the Cubs clearly believe in Soroka’s swing-and-miss ability and have proved they can tap into another level with pitchers who struggled elsewhere. Soroka also should benefit from playing in front of an elite defense.
The Orioles predominantly used Kittredge in the seventh and eighth innings this year, with the right-hander recording seven holds. He made his season debut in mid-May after opening the year on the injured list because of a left knee debridement.
Kittredge had an easy commute to his new ballpark. The Orioles arrived in Chicago on Wednesday night ahead of the weekend series at Wrigley Field, and Kittredge found out he was traded shortly after arriving at the team hotel.
“I feel very fresh right now,” Kittredge said Thursday at Wrigley. “Maybe some of that does stem from missing the first month and a half coming back from that little knee surgery, but I feel really good where I’m at right now. Probably have fewer innings than guys just because of that, but I feel primed and ready to go for a stretch run.”
He posted a 1.76 ERA with 15 strikeouts and two walks in 15 1/3 innings in his last 15 appearances dating to June 30. Beginning with his All-Star 2021 season with the Tampa Bay Rays, Kittredge has posted a 2.63 ERA and 154 ERA+ spanning 205 1/3 innings in 193 games. He underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2022, causing him to miss the rest of that year and most of the 2023 season.
Kittredge is earning $9 million this year and has a $9 million team option for 2026 with a $1 million buyout.
Franklin, 25, was ranked the Cubs’ No. 14 prospect by MLB.com and features great power, though he too often hits the ball on the ground, and didn’t have a great path to helping the big-league team. The Cubs selected him in the fourth round of the 2021 draft.
Cruz, their third-round pick in 2024, possesses intriguing upside. The 18-year-old, who was ranked 13th in the Cubs system, made his professional debut this year in the Arizona Complex League, where he slashed .270/.314/.431 in 48 games while playing shortstop, second base and third base.
De La Cruz, 17, was slashing .262/.442/.417 with nine stolen bases in 27 games in the Dominican Summer League.
