The Texas Rangers have acquired outfielder Alex Rios from the Chicago White Sox for a player to be named later and/or cash considerations, according to Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago. The Rangers claimed Rios after the White Sox placed him on waivers, but it was reported earlier that a trade was unlikely because the two teams were not believed to be close to a deal.
Alex Rios traded to Rangers
Texas will send a player to be named later, or possibly cash, to Chicago in return for Rios.
Jason Miller
Hayes originally reported that the White Sox were receiving Leury Garcia in return for Rios, but later retracted his report. The reporter believes Garcia is the likely PTBNL, but the teams will wait to finalize the deal at a later time when Garcia would not have to clear waivers.
Rios entered Friday hitting .277/.328/.421 with 12 home runs and will presumably play rightfield for Texas. He’d be the most likely fill-in for the recently suspended Nelson Cruz, who chose to immediately serve his 50-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs.
Rios will make $13 million in 2014, with an option for $14 million in 2015 -- each of those seasons was originally $500,000 less, but this trade triggers a clause in his contract that pays Rios more. Texas can decline the option and buyout Rios for $2 million after the 2014 season.
The vacated roster spot will be filled by prospect Avisail Garcia, who was acquired before the July 31 trade deadline in the three-team Jake Peavy and Jose Iglesias swap. The White Sox have announced that Garcia will join the team prior to the second game of Friday's doubleheader. Garcia owns a 991 OPS across three minor-league levels and 47 games in 2013, and entered the season as the #74 prospect in the game according to Baseball America.
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