White Sox trade Rios to Rangers
What do you do when you take over an older, expensive team that plays its way out of contention by the all-star break?
You make changes. Big changes.
Rick Hahn is still in his first year as the White Sox’ general manager, and he tried staying as patient as possible through April, May and well into June.
But as the Sox faded deeper into the AL Central basement and showed no signs of recovery, Hahn went to work.
He traded veteran relievers Matt Thornton and Jesse Crain and starting pitcher Jake Peavy before the July 31 nonwaiver deadline.
On Friday, Hahn continued his dismantling project, dealing Alex Rios to the Texas Rangers for a player to be named later. The player is expected to be 22-year-old Leury Garcia, who projects out as a utility infielder at the major-league level.
In order to get Garcia instead of a nondescript minor-league prospect, the White Sox also sent $1 million to the Rangers.
Considering Rios is owed roughly $17.5 million through next season, give credit to Hahn for clearing some more payroll.
On July 30, Hahn saved $20 million when he traded Peavy to the Boston Red Sox.
“Obviously, there’s a fair amount of economic flexibility that comes with a trade like this,” Hahn said Friday after moving Rios. “We look forward to using it (money) both in the draft and internationally and potentially in other avenues to acquire players for Chicago.
“It’s a tough decision to trade a quality player like Alex, but it is a step in our process to retooling this club.”
Retool, rebuild — Hahn even dropped a “restore.”
Whatever you want to call it, the White Sox are going to be younger — and cheaper — moving forward. It’s up to Hahn to make sure they are better.
He’s excited about new right fielder Avisail Garcia, who came up from Class AAA Charlotte to replace Rios. Garcia’s flight from North Carolina landed too late for him to be in the lineup for Game 2 of Friday’s day/night doubleheader against the Twins, so the 6-foot-4, 240-pounder is expected to make his first start for the Sox on Saturday.
Garcia came to the White Sox from the Detroit Tigers in the three-way trade that sent Peavy to the Red Sox.
“It’s going to make the big-league club better for the long haul, no doubt,” Hahn said of trading off so much salary. “One of the positives of an unfortunate season like this is we’re going to have the opportunity in all probability to spend a lot more money on amateur talent. So certainly any savings, that’s probably going to be the first couple of line items next year, what we spend on the draft and what we spend internationally.
“Even after that, given the flexibility that’s opened up, there will be the opportunity, whether it be via trade or free agency, to perhaps take on money as the off-season unfolds.”
Rios, who was acquired by the White Sox in a waive claim from the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 10, 2009, batted .277 with 12 home runs, 55 RBI and 26 stolen bases in 109 games this season.
In 599 career games with the Sox, the 32-year-old outfielder batted .269 with 74 homers, 287 RBI and 99 steals. Rios reunites with former White Sox teammate A.J. Pierzynski in Texas.
“I’m going to go to a team that is fighting for a playoff spot,” Rios said of the Rangers, who play the White Sox Aug. 23-25 at the Cell. “I believe it’s going to be refreshing. I believe they are hoping to win their division and go to the playoffs, so let’s see what happens.”
Like most of his teammates and coaching staff, Rios can’t believe all of the bad things that happened with the White Sox this season.
“We looked so good during spring training that we thought we were going to be contending at this point of the year,” Rios said. “But it’s just bizarre what happened. Nobody can point a finger at exactly what happened. It’s one of those years in baseball history.”