MLB waiver roundup: Zito clears wire, Royals add Bonifacio, Rangers get Blackley
A quick summary of Wednesday’s waiver trades and rumors.
USA TODAY Sports
The Kansas City Royals have acquired utlityman Emilio Bonifacio from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for a player to be named later, the team has announced.
Bonifacio, 28, will likely spend time in center field and at second base for the Royals with Miguel Tejada moving to the 60-day DL and Lorenzo Cain nursing an oblique strain. Acquired by the Jays in the mega-deal with the Marlins over the winter, Bonifacio struggled at the plate in his brief time in Canada, hitting just .218/.258/.321 in 91 games.
The Bonifacio acquisition is the second waiver trade the Royals have completed for a light-hitting utility player this week -- the club acquired Jamey Carroll from the Twins on Sunday.
Barry Zito Clears Waivers
San Francisco Giants left-hander Barry Zito has cleared waivers, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Zito is finally coming to the end of his infamous seven-year, $126 million contract with Giants, so perhaps they’re hoping to send him away before they have to pay the $7 million buyout for next season.
However, with a 5.40 earned-run average and roughly $5 million remaining on his salary this season, the 35-year-old left-hander isn’t the most likely trade candidate. Stranger things have happened, I suppose, but the chances that San Francisco will find a taker at this juncture are not great.
Rangers acquire Travis Blackley
The Texas Rangers have acquired left-hander Travis Blackley from the Houston Astros for cash considerations, the league has announced.
Blackley, 30, pitched exclusively out of the bullpen for the Astros this season, amassing a 4.89 earned-run average and over seven Ks per nine in 35 innings. Houston didn’t work Blackley solely as a LOOGY in his half season with the club, but his appearances did seem to shorten as the year progressed, indicating that they at least starting swaying in that direction.
The southpaw came out of nowhere to help the A’s rotation down the stretch last season -- posting a 3.86 ERA in 102⅔ innings for Oakland -- but it’s unclear whether he’ll get playing time with Texas at all. The Rangers have assigned the left-hander to Triple-A Round Rock.
O’s an option for Konerko?
The Chicago White Sox have placed first baseman Paul Konerko on waivers and the Baltimore Orioles appear to be a potential trading partner, reports Rich Dubroff of CSN Baltimore.
The O's have been on the lookout for an additional right-handed bat for some time, but were unable to find one for the right price at the trade deadline. Baltimore also has the option of bringing Mark Reynolds back into the fold, but Konerko is the more attractive option, per Dubroff.
Konerko, 37, is in the midst of a career-worst year -- .240/.304/.354 in 88 games -- but he’s still demonstrated the ability to pound left-handed pitching. The veteran slugger has 10-and-5 rights, so even if he were to clear waivers, he would get final say on whether or not to accept a trade. He is owed roughly $3.5 million through the end of the year.
More from SB Nation:
See More:
