Cleveland and White Sox announce trade

CLEVELAND, OH - The Cleveland Indians today announced the following transactions relative to the 2021 Major League roster:

Traded 2B CESAR HERNANDEZ to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for LHP KONNOR PILKINGTON.

Pilkington, 23, has spent the entire 2021 season at Double-A Birmingham, posting a mark of 4-4 with a 3.48 ERA in 14 starts (62.0IP, 36H, 24ER, 21BB, 71SO). He currently sports the lowest average against (.173) and WHIP (0.92) in the Double-A South League while ranking sixth in ERA and tied for eighth in strikeouts. He did not pitch in 2020 due to the cancelled Minor League season after entering the campaign 17th among Chicago’s top prospects (Baseball America).

The Moss Point, MS native owns a three-year professional ERA of 4.13 in 47 games/46 starts (205.0IP, 171H, 94ER, 220SO) after his third-round selection by the White Sox in the 2018 MLB Draft out of Mississippi State and was a member of the 2018 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

Hernandez batted .231 (87-for-376) in 96 games with Cleveland in 2021 (17 2B, 18 HR, 47 RBI).