Texas Rangers Acquire Alex Rios from Chicago White Sox
By John Parent
The non-waiver trade deadline has passed in Major League Baseball, but that doesn’t mean deals can’t still happen. On Friday afternoon, one such occurrence took place with the Chicago White Sox trading outfielder Alex Rios to the Texas Rangers.
Texas will get about $1 million in cash from Chicago to help pay Rios’ salary. In return, the Sox will get either a player to be named later or cash. In other words, this move was a straight salary dump for the White Sox.
The deal is a win for the Rangers in that they get a bat to take the place of suspended slugger Nelson Cruz. For Chicago, they open up playing time for outfield prospect Avisail Garcia, who was acquired last month in the trade that sent Jake Peavy to Boston.
For Rios, this is the second time he’s been moved after the traditional trade deadline. In 2009, he was claimed on waivers by the White Sox from the Blue Jays. Instead of working out a trade at that time, however, Toronto simply allowed Chiacgo to take their outfielder and his entire salary. That salary, the remainder of his 2013 deal plus another $12.5 million for 2014 now become property of the Rangers. Rios’ contract also hold a team option for 2015 that escalates to $14 million thanks to a trigger caused by this trade.
After a dismal 2011 season, Rios had a career resurgence with a strong 20112 (.850 OPS), but has seen his number slip back a bit this year. Rios has 12 home runs, 26 stolen bases and a .751 OPS through 109 games for Chicago this year.