Cubs get catcher Maldonado from Royals for LHP Montgomery

Royals catcher Martin Maldonado was traded Monday night to the Cubs for pitcher Mike Montgomery.
Royals catcher Martin Maldonado was traded Monday night to the Cubs for pitcher Mike Montgomery.

CHICAGO - The Chicago Cubs have acquired catcher Martin Maldonado in a trade with Kansas City that sent left-hander Mike Montgomery to the Royals.

Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein announced the deal Monday night following Chicago's 6-3 loss to Cincinnati - adding All-Star catcher Willson Contreras was going on the 10-day injured list with a strain to the arch area of his right foot.

The 32-year-old Maldonado, a Gold Glove winner in 2017 with the Angels, was batting .227 with six homers and 17 RBI in 74 games for the struggling Royals this season. The Cubs will be the fifth major league team for the nine-year veteran, and Epstein expects him to provide a strong defensive presence behind the plate.

Montgomery, 30, is 1-2 with a 5.67 ERA in 20 relief appearances for the Cubs this year, and was 14-17 with three saves in 119 games for Chicago over four seasons. He is expected to get a chance to start with the Royals, who drafted him in 2008.