White Sox, Cubs swap pitchers before trade deadline
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 24: Ryan Tepera #18 of the Chicago Cubs pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field on July 24, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
CHICAGO - The Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs have traded pitchers.
The struggling Cubs traded the 33-year-old right-hander to the crosstown White Sox on Thursday for minor league lefty Bailey Horn, giving the AL Central-leading White Sox some bullpen help for the rest of the season and maybe the playoffs, too.
"It’s kind of a unique thing for a trade to happen between crosstown rivals. I’m excited," Tepera said. "Obviously going to a first-place team, playoff contention, I’m looking forward to it."
It was the second trade of the day for the White Sox, who also acquired slugging second baseman Cesar Hernandez from the Cleveland Indians.
Tepera is 0-2 with a 2.91 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings this season and has allowed just one home run over his last 36 appearances. Over his seven-year major league career with Toronto and the Cubs, he’s 12-14 with a 3.54 ERA in 279 1/3 innings.
"Ryan has been an extremely reliable bullpen arm this season and throughout his career," White Sox senior vice president/general manager Rick Hahn said in a statement. "We are very pleased to add him to our talented and versatile group of relievers."
Tepera initially signed with the Cubs as a free agent in December of 2019 after spending five seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Horn, who is 23-years-old, is a combined 2-3 with a 5.63 ERA in 14 appearances for Low-A Kannapolis and High-A Winston-Salem. He was drafted by the White Sox in the fifth round of the 2020 draft.
Associated Press contributed to this report.