Quero's time next year: White Sox part ways with catcher Zavala before 12-1 loss to Royals
It looks like the White Sox have their catcher of the future.
Acquired in a July 26 trade that sent Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez to the Angels, Edgar Quero is a prospect on the rise.
In 23 games with Class AA Birmingham since joining the Sox, Quero is hitting .306/.386/.447 with 3 home runs and 19 RBI.
Quero's defense is still catching up to his bat, and he's only 20 years old. At the earliest, maybe he's added to the White Sox's roster a year from now.
Until then, the catching cupboard is pretty bare.
Before another forgettable loss, this one 12-1 to the Royals at Kauffman Stadium Monday afternoon, the Sox designated catcher Seby Zavala for assignment.
Over parts of four seasons with the White Sox, Zavala hit .205/.268/.345 with 14 home runs and 52 RBI in 169 games.
This year, Zavala slashed .155/.207/.304 with 7 homers and 16 RBI in 66 games. He was out the past month with a strained left oblique.
"(Zavala) has major-league value for somebody," manager Pedro Grifol told reporters before the Sox lost their fourth straight game. "I like him catching-wise. Obviously, offensively he didn't have the year he wanted to have. But he knows what he's doing back there, he knows how to handle a staff and I'm hoping for nothing but great things from him."
With Quero waiting in the wings, newcomer Korey Lee and veteran holdover Yasmani Grandal will handle catching duties the rest of the way.
Lee was acquired from the Astros in a July 28 trade for veteran relief pitcher Kendall Graveman.
He's got solid defensive skills, but Lee was 0-for-3 in Monday's lopsided loss to Kansas City and he's 1-for-25 since being added to the White Sox's roster on Aug. 24.
Grandal is in his final month of a four-year, $73 million contract. Given all the injuries during his time with the Sox, the 34-year-old catcher will either be playing for another team or retired next season.
The White Sox could have released Grandal by now, but they still think he has some value mentoring Lee.
The Sox are now 53-85 after being blown out by the Royals and Grifol was not happy with yet another miserable loss.
"I really don't have much to say," Grifol said. "Everybody saw the game. Am I OK with it? No, I am not. Am I going to address it? Yes, I am. I'm not going to get too deep into the effort. I didn't like it for the most part and we'll address it."
The White Sox managed just 3 hits off K.C. starting pitcher Cole Ragans and two relievers.
Sox starter Jesse Scholtens pitched 3⅔ innings and gave up 5 runs on 9 hits and a walk.