ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Twins wanted to cut payroll and the Chicago Cubs were desperate for bullpen help. The teams found a perfect match today when Rick Aguilera was traded to the Cubs for a pair of minor leaguers. Chicago acquired the three-time All-Star and lefthander Scott Downs from the Minnesota Twins for righthanders Jason Ryan and Kyle Lohse. The deal fills a season-long hole in the Cubs bullpen that became even deeper earlier this week when Rod Beck was placed on the disabled list. Aguilera, 37, has been one of the premier closers in baseball this decade and is in the final year of a contract that pays him $3.25 million this season, almost about one-sixth of team's total payroll of $19.2 million. Twins owner Carl Pohlad said over the winter that he hoped to reduce the payroll to under $15 million this season. With Aguilera gone, Marty Cordova is the highest paid Twin at $3 million. There were rumors earlier this week that the team planned to waive him. While his departure was expected at some point this season, Aguilera still found it difficult to leave. "We had some some great years here and some bad times, but the fans have been supportive. Just some great people," said Aguilera, holding back tears. "I was very proud to pitch for (manager) Tom Kelly." WGN Radio in Chicago is reporting that as part of the deal Aguilera will receive a "slight raise" for 1999 and has been given a player option for 2000. "Aguilera comes in at a great time. We could stick him right in there," Cubs manager Jim Riggleman said. "Hopefully, we have a lead and he gives us some needed help." Riggleman was asked what the Cubs plan to do when Beck returns. "That is an issue we'll discuss when Beck comes back. Rod is pretty animate that he wants surgery, if that is the case he'll be out for a long time. That is something we'll discuss down the road." A three-time All-Star, Aguilera is 3-1 with a 1.27 ERA and six saves in eight opportunities this season. In 21 1/3 innings, he has allowed 10 hits, three runs and two walks with 13 strikeouts and has limited opponents to a .135 batting average. He likely will become the immediate replacement for Beck, who had a career-high 51 saves in 1998 and helped Chicago into the postseason. But Beck is 2-4 with seven saves in 11 opportunities this year and has allowed six runs and seven hits over 2 1/3 innings in his last four appearances. He was placed on the DL on Tuesday with bone spurs in his right pitching elbow. Beck said he is not seriously hurt and claims he has had the injury for years. Aguilera first arrived in Minnesota during the 1989 season as part of a deal that sent Cy Young award winner Frank Viola to the New York Mets. In his first full season as the Twins' closer, he saved 32 games, the first of five straight years with 30 or more. The following year Aguilera recorded 42 saves as the Twins went on to capture their second World Series championship. Aguilera closed out 184 games for the Twins from 1990-1995, but midway through the 1995 campaign was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He went 2-2 with a 2.67 ERA and 20 saves in 30 games for the Red Sox before re-signing with the Twins as a free agent following the season. After being used as a starter by the Twins in 1996, Aguilera returned to the bullpen has recorded 26 saves in 1997 and 38 last season, when he posted a 4.24 ERA, his worst mark as a reliever. Aguilera is expected to join the Cubs in time for Saturday's game in Atlanta. He is the Twins' career leader with 254 saves and has pitched in a franchise-record 490 games. He also won a World Series with the Mets in 1986 and pitched in the postseason for the Red Sox. Aguilera began his major league career with the Mets in 1985. The 23-year-old Downs returns to the Chicago organization after being traded to Minnesota last November 3 as the player to be named in the Mike Morgan deal. Chicago's 1997 third-round pick, Downs was 0-0 with an 8.69 ERA in six games for Class AA New Britain in the Eastern League this season. He also made two starts with Class A Fort Myers and will report to the Cubs' affiliate in Daytona of the Florida State League. Ryan, 23, was an impressive 5-0 with a league-leading 1.41 ERA in 44 2/3 innings in seven starts for West Tennessee of the Class AA Southern League. He recorded 53 strikeouts against only 15 walks and was tied for the league lead in wins. Lohse, 20, was 5-3 with a 2.89 ERA over 53 innings for Daytona, striking out 41 and walking 16. He was fifth in the league in innings and had limited righthanders to a .215 batting average. Ryan will report to New Britain while Lohse heads to Fort Myers. Today's trade was part of a series of roster moves by the Twins, who called up pitchers Travis Miller and Gary Rath from Salt Lake of the Pacific Coast League and sent Sent outfielder Chris Latham to Salt Lake.  