MILWAUKEE (AP) — Aaron Civale quickly got his wish to return to a starting rotation. It just required a change of address.
Milwaukee traded the right-hander and cash to the Chicago White Sox for first baseman Andrew Vaughn on Friday, a day after the Brewers announced that they were removing Civale from their rotation and the pitcher said he wanted to remain a starter even if it meant leaving Milwaukee.
White Sox manager Will Venable said that Civale will be their starter Sunday in the finale of a weekend series at Texas.
“Yeah, a guy that’s been a consistent performer in this league for six years and somebody that we can slot right into the rotation,” Venable said before Friday's series opener against the Rangers. "Excited to add he and (Adrian) Houser to a really young starting pitching core. Just gives us a really good chance to eat some innings. ... When you’re trying to do that and at the same time win games, it can be tough. Aaron, he checks both of those boxes really.”
Civale is 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA this season. He has allowed seven runs over 19 innings in four starts since returning from the injured list May 22 after dealing with a strained left hamstring.
“We’re exploring opportunities for me to get back into a rotation, whether that’s here or elsewhere,” Civale had said Thursday, his 30th birthday. “That type of decision is out of my hands. We’re exploring the options to give me the chance to do what I do best, and that’s to go out there and start.”
The Brewers, who are also getting $807,000 in the deal, took Civale out of their rotation because they had a surplus of starters after promoting prospect Jacob Misiorowski, who threw five innings of no-hit ball while helping Milwaukee beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-0 in his major league debut Thursday.
Milwaukee's rotation also includes Freddy Peralta (5-4, 2.69 ERA), José Quintana (4-1, 2.66 ERA), Quinn Priester (4-2 3.65 ERA) and Chad Patrick (3-6, 3.25 ERA).
Although Civale pitched in relief in two postseason games — one in 2022 with Cleveland and another last year in Milwaukee — all of his regular-season appearances in the major and minor leagues have come in a starting role. Civale, who is 40-37 with a 4.06 ERA in 122 career big league starts, is making $8 million this year and is eligible for free agency at the end of the season.
The Brewers acquired Civale in a July trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, who got him in a 2023 trade-deadline deal with the Cleveland Guardians.
Civale becomes the third person in the last month to join the White Sox after playing for the Brewers earlier this season. The White Sox also claimed infielder Vinny Capra off waivers from the Brewers and signed pitcher Tyler Alexander after Milwaukee designated him for assignment.
The 27-year-old Vaughn, who also has made big league starts in right and left field, hit .189 with a .218 on-base percentage, five homers and 19 RBIs in 48 games with Chicago before he was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte on May 23. He will report to the Brewers' Triple-A Nashville affiliate.
He has a career average of .248 with a .303 on-base percentage, 77 homers and 293 RBIs in 610 games for the White Sox, who selected him out of the University of California with the third overall pick in the 2019 amateur draft.
In other moves Friday, the Brewers recalled right-hander Grant Anderson and outfielder Drew Avans from Triple-A Nashville. Outfielder Daz Cameron was placed on the paternity list.
The White Sox made a flurry of moves before their series opener at Texas.
Infielder Brooks Baldwin was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte, and left-hander Tyler Gilbert was reinstated from the 15-day injured list. Gilbert had been sidelined by a sprained left knee.
First baseman Ryan Noda was claimed off waivers from Boston and optioned to Charlotte. Right-hander Owen White was sent down, and outfielder Joshua Palacios was designated for assignment.
AP Baseball Writers Jay Cohen in Chicago and Stephen Hawkins in Arlington, Texas, contributed to this report.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Aaron Civale throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Monday, June 2, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
