\n<\/p>\n
Right-hander Aaron Civale<\/b> was a player the Cubs discussed at the trade deadline at the end of July, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer<\/b> said.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018I think we\u2019re in good position,\u2019\u2019 Hoyer said Monday of the Cubs\u2019 pitching. \u2018\u2018But I also feel like adding innings is always valuable when you know you\u2019re getting into this position where guys have a tendency to get tired and you may want to give guys a little bit of rest.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
The Cubs claimed Civale off waivers<\/a> Sunday from the White Sox, and he reported to the North Side for their 7-6 victory in 10 innings against the Braves.<\/p>\n His debut with the Cubs \u2014 and the first regular-season relief appearance of his career \u2014 was key to the team\u2019s comeback.<\/p>\n Civale held the Braves to one hit in three scoreless innings, giving the Cubs enough time to wipe out a four-run deficit and tie the score on catcher Carson Kelly\u2019s<\/b> two-run home run in the eighth, his first homer since July 21. Kelly later won the game with a walk-off single in the 10th.<\/p>\n \u2018\u2018From a behind-the-plate perspective, I thought he led me pretty well,\u2019\u2019 Civale said of Kelly. \u2018\u2018Kept the whole team in the game catching those extra innings, those tight situations at the end of the game. .\u2009.\u2009. Just to have competitive at-bats out of your catcher is great, and then to do what he did is icing on the cake.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n Civale is expected to pitch in relief down the stretch, but the fact that he was stretched out to a starter\u2019s workload attracted the Cubs.<\/p>\n The Cubs are Civale\u2019s third team this season. He began the season with the Brewers, but he asked for a trade when they decided to move him to the bullpen after five starts.<\/p>\n The Brewers found him a spot with the Sox, for whom he made 13 more starts. That included five scoreless innings against the Cubs in late July.<\/p>\n \u2018\u2018There\u2019s definitely both [challenges and advantages],\u2019\u2019 Civale said when asked about switching organizations twice in a season. \u2018\u2018First one is meeting so many different people [and] trying to remember names, different places that you\u2019re preparing for the game and different thought processes.<\/p>\n \u2018\u2018There\u2019s a lot of different ideas. There\u2019s things to bounce off of. There\u2019s guys in this clubhouse that I\u2019ve been playing with for a really long time, both in this clubhouse and other clubhouses. So it\u2019s just another place to try and learn more about yourself and another chance to help out a team.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n In addition to adding Civale and first baseman Carlos Santana<\/b><\/a> to the roster, which expanded by two spots for September, the Cubs called up outfielder Kevin Alcantara<\/b> from Triple-A Iowa and optioned outfielder Owen Caissie<\/b> to Iowa.<\/p>\n This is Alcantara\u2019s first stint in the majors this season after he got his first taste of the big leagues last September.<\/p>\n Hoyer and manager Craig Counsell<\/b> confirmed Alcantara might get playing time in center field against left-handed pitchers, giving Pete Crow-Armstrong<\/b> some rest.<\/p>\n \u2018\u2018You want him fresh and playing well,\u2019\u2019 Hoyer said of Crow-Armstrong. \u2018\u2018So that was the mindset.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n Crow-Armstrong has played in 135 of the Cubs\u2019 138 games. After an MVP-level start to the season, he slumped to a .446 OPS in August<\/a>. On Monday, he went 1-for-4 with a bunt single and stole a hit from the Braves\u2019 Ozzie Albies<\/b> with a sliding catch on the warning track in the seventh.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nAlcantara call-up might affect PCA<\/h3>\n