10:30am: MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy stories that the Brewers are sending money to the White Sox within the deal to even out the distinction within the gamers’ salaries. Civale is making $8MM this yr whereas Vaughn is making $5.85MM. He provides that Milwaukee at present views Vaughn as a primary baseman and DH and at present has no plans to make use of him within the outfield. The Brewers have introduced the commerce and that Vaughn has been assigned to Triple-A Nashville.
9:05am: The Brewers are buying and selling right-hander Aaron Civale to the White Sox, in line with a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Put up. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers stories that first baseman Andrew Vaughn is headed to Milwaukee in alternate for Civale.
It’s a fast turnaround after Civale requested a commerce away from Milwaukee yesterday. Civale’s commerce request got here on the heels of the membership’s choice earlier this week to bump him from the rotation in an effort to name up prime pitching prospect Jacob Misiorowski. Civale, a free agent after the 2025 marketing campaign who struggled a bit final yr however has pitched to a 3.32 ERA and three.92 FIP in 4 begins since getting back from the injured checklist final month, evidently needs to carry onto a rotation job to set himself up for achievement in free company this winter as a lot as potential.
The 30-year-old’s want was promptly granted, as he’s now headed for the White Sox. The South Siders haven’t any actual hope of competing for a playoff spot this yr, however with a patchwork rotation that options a number of Rule 5 draftees it’s not onerous to see Civale as a probably substantial improve for his or her beginning rotation. Whereas a workforce headed for his or her second-consecutive 100-loss marketing campaign buying a rental beginning pitcher in the midst of the season is a uncommon prevalence, it’s not onerous to see the logic from Chicago’s perspective provided that they’ll have the chance to flip Civale to a membership with postseason aspirations nearer to the commerce deadline.
The logic is especially sound for the White Sox given the participant they’re giving up in return. Vaughn was the third-overall choose within the 2019 draft and a longtime prime 100 prospect, however his main league profession has been a disappointment thus far. He entered the 2025 season with a profession .253/.310/.415 (102 wRC+) slash line on the main league degree and only one season the place he had hit at a clip considerably higher than league common. Issues took a extra pronounced nosedive this yr, as he’s slashed simply .189/.218/.314 (44 wRC+) throughout 48 video games for the White Sox in 2025. It’s the bottom on-base share of any participant with not less than 120 plate appearances within the majors this yr, and his -1.3 fWAR this season is useless final amongst all hitters who’ve stepped as much as the plate within the majors this season. The Sox optioned him to Triple-A Charlotte a couple of weeks in the past and he has hit .211/.328/.351 in 15 video games for the Knights since then.
That’s not a participant the White Sox might count on to get a considerable prospect return for this summer season, and whereas Vaughn has one yr of management remaining after this one he at present has the look of a transparent non-tender candidate. That absolutely made the chance to roll the cube on flipping a veteran beginning pitcher a really enticing choice for Chicago.
With all that being stated, it’s not as if the deal doesn’t make sense for the Brewers. Civale now not slot in an more and more deep Brewers rotation combine, and his roster spot is probably going higher used on different arms extra suited to bullpen obligation than a veteran starter with zero profession reduction appearances. What’s extra, Vaughn’s underlying numbers paint the image of a participant whose precise efficiency isn’t all that totally different from his earlier seasons as a league common hitter. Whereas he’s strolling at a career-low 3.6% clip, he was by no means an particularly affected person hitter. His 22.3% strikeout charge is simply a tick greater than final yr, and his 13.3% barrel charge this season is definitely the perfect of his profession and 4 factors higher than final season. Vaughn’s ghastly .217 BABIP ought to enhance with time, and with incumbent first baseman Rhys Hoskins doubtless ticketed without spending a dime company this winter getting Vaughn on board as a less expensive potential substitute is smart.
Within the shorter time period, Vaughn appears more likely to take up a bench position for the Brewers, or maybe he’ll proceed getting reps within the minors. Whereas he’s primarily performed first base over time, Vaughn has logged almost 1500 innings within the outfield throughout his profession. He’s been a lackluster defender on the grass, however that’s additionally true of his defensive work at first base. It’s not onerous to think about Milwaukee utilizing him in left discipline as a platoon companion for Jake Bauers whereas Garrett Mitchell is on the injured checklist, although it’s additionally potential he might merely be tasked with backing up Hoskins and Yelich this yr whereas biding his time for the chance to tackle a much bigger position in 2026.
