Kittredge switches hotels after trade to Cubs, glad to team up with Happ
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CHICAGO -- Andrew Kittredge traveled with the Orioles to Chicago on Wednesday ahead of Baltimore’s upcoming weekend series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The veteran reliever got settled into the team’s hotel and about a half-hour later his phone buzzed.
Kittredge had been traded to the Cubs.
“It was a little strange,” Kittredge said on Thursday inside the Cubs’ offices adjacent to his new home ballpark. “It was definitely different, but easy transition. Just switched hotels -- that was about it. Got a little closer to the field.”
TRADE DETAILS
Cubs receive: RHP Andrew Kittredge
Orioles receive: SS Wilfri De La Cruz (Cubs' No. 17 prospect)
The Cubs finalized their deal with the Orioles to land Kittredge on Thursday morning, sending 17-year-old shortstop prospect Wilfri De La Cruz to Baltimore in the one-for-one swap. Once everything was official, the 35-year-old reliever made his way over to Wrigley Field, where he toured his new clubhouse and had a brief chat with manager Craig Counsell.
The North Siders traded for Kittredge to add another experienced arm to a bullpen that has been solid overall this season (3.86 ERA, seventh in the National League), but shaky in July (6.00 ERA). The right-hander said he was ready to jump into the Cubs’ playoff chase and take on whatever role Counsell had in mind.
“I came up with Tampa [Bay], and they did the bullpen very differently than a lot of teams do,” Kittredge said. “So, I kind of got accustomed to throwing in different situations. In 2021, I threw in every inning from the first to the 12th. The way I try to prepare is just be ready when your name’s called.”
In 31 appearances for the Orioles this season, Kittredge posted a 3.45 ERA with 32 strikeouts and eight walks in 31 1/3 innings. He leads with a slider that has a 34.3% whiff rate, per Statcast, while averaging 94.9 mph with a sinker that has helped generate a 44.2% ground-ball rate. He missed April while recovering from left knee surgery, but said he feels “very fresh” right now.
Prior to this season, Kittredge spent seven years with the Rays -- making the American League All-Star team in 2021 -- and then saw plenty of the Cubs while pitching for the Cardinals last season.
“Those Cardinals-Cubs battles are always tough,” Kittredge said. “The lineup here is a tough one to navigate. I’m glad I don’t have to face Ian Happ anymore. I think he owns me.”
Happ is 2-for-3 with a pair of homers in their meetings.
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Kittredge joined Baltimore on a one-year, $9 million contract over the offseason that includes a $9 million team option (or $1 million buyout) for 2026. He hoped to be joining an Orioles team that would push for the postseason -- Baltimore made the playoffs in '23-24 -- but their last-place standing in the AL East made Kittredge a trade candidate.
“I really liked my time in Baltimore,” Kittredge said. “It was short, but they have a great clubhouse over there. The guys are really good. Unfortunately, we just got off to a really slow start there.
“But to get an opportunity to come and play for a team that’s currently sitting in a playoff spot and has aspirations of making a deep run in the playoffs, I mean, that’s really all you can ask for as a player.”