The Tampa Bay Rays acquired right-hander Aaron Civale from the Cleveland Guardians in a rare deadline trade between two teams with playoff potential, enriching an injury-riddled starting rotation while Cleveland landed hard-hitting first-base prospect Kyle Manzardo.
Civale, 28, has excelled since returning from a strained oblique in early June, allowing two or fewer runs in 10 of his 11 starts. On the season, he is 5-2 with a 2.34 ERA over 77 innings, striking out 58, walking 22 and allowing just five home runs.
Because Civale remains under team control through the end of the 2025 season, the Rays were willing to give up Manzardo, a 23-year-old who has shot through their system after they selected him in the second round of the 2021 draft.