The Chicago Cubs have enhanced their pitching roster prior to the upcoming trade deadline by acquiring right-handed pitchers Michael Soroka and Andrew Kittredge. The trades were made with the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles, respectively.
In exchange for Soroka, the Nationals received minor league players Ronny Cruz, an infielder, and Christian Franklin, an outfielder. Details of the trade emerged on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, the deal for Kittredge was finalized on Thursday, with the Orioles gaining minor league infielder Wilfri De La Cruz.
Michael Soroka, who was celebrated as an All-Star in 2019 while with Atlanta, possesses a record of 3-8 and an ERA of 4.87 this year with the Nationals. He joined Washington after signing a $9 million, one-year contract during the offseason. Soroka is expected to add valuable depth to the Cubs’ pitching rotation, supporting pitchers like Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga. Despite his past challenges with injuries, including two Achilles tendon tears that sidelined him for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Soroka remains a seasoned pitcher with a career record of 20-26 and a 3.91 ERA. Prior to this, he struggled with the Chicago White Sox last season, finishing with a 0-10 record and 4.74 ERA.
Andrew Kittredge, aged 35, gained attention as an All-Star in 2021. Over his nine-season tenure, he has maintained a 3.44 ERA, and with this season, he holds a 3.45 ERA across 31 games. Having signed a contract with Baltimore that included a potential $9 million club option for 2026, Kittredge enters a Cubs team trailing the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers by just one game.
The Cubs have showcased a dynamic team under the leadership of Pete Crow-Armstrong—though they have not progressed past a playoff series since 2017, which followed their first World Series victory in over a century. In contrast, the Nationals, languishing at the bottom of the NL East, have made significant organizational changes by dismissing general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez earlier this month.
Soroka, who was pulled from the mound after three innings on Tuesday night against Houston, has been a consistent performer lately, limiting opponents to three runs or fewer in the majority of his recent starts. The Nationals have been actively engaging in player trades, having earlier sent relievers Andrew Chafin and Luis García to the Los Angeles Angels for prospective talents. Players such as Kyle Finnegan, Josh Bell, and Paul DeJong are anticipated as possible trades before Thursday’s deadline.
The incoming prospects for the Nationals add promising potential to their ranks. Eighteen-year-old Ronny Cruz has been batting .270 for the Cubs’ Rookie-level team in the Arizona Complex League. Alongside him, 25-year-old Christian Franklin shows potential with a .265 average and eight homers for Triple-A Iowa. Joining the Orioles’ exchange, Wilfri De La Cruz, a 17-year-old switch-hitter of significant promise, was one of the Cubs’ top international signings and ranked their 20th-best prospect.