The Houston Astros have acquired catcher Martín Maldonado from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for infielder/outfielder Tony Kemp. The announcement was made by Astros President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Jeff Luhnow.

Maldonado, 32, has split his season between Chicago and Kansas City, appearing in 78 Major League games, including 74 starts behind the plate. Known for his defensive ability, the 2017 American League Gold Glove winner has posted eight defensive runs saved in 2019, which ties as the second-best mark among all qualified Major League catchers. This will be Maldonado's second stint in Houston, as the Astros also acquired him in July last season. He ended up playing in 41 games for the 2018 Astros and made six postseason starts out of the Astros eight games played.

Kemp, 27, was designated for assignment on Friday, after hitting .227 (37x163) with six doubles, seven home runs and 17 RBI in 66 games for the Astros this season. Originally a fifth-round pick by the Astros in 2013, Kemp played parts of four seasons (2016-19) with Houston, appearing in 239 games.