White Sox ship Castillo, int'l money to Rangers

CHICAGO -- The White Sox made the first trade of the offseason, sending catcher Welington Castillo and an international signing bonus pool slot to the Rangers in exchange for Minor League infielder/outfielder Jonah McReynolds.

This deal was one of a number of moves announced by the White Sox on Thursday, approximately 15 hours after the Nationals beat the Astros in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series.

Right-handed pitchers Ryan Burr and Michael Kopech, left-hander Carlos Rodón and outfielder Jon Jay were reinstated from the 60-day injured list.

First baseman José Abreu, left-handed pitcher Ross Detwiler, Jay, right-hander Iván Nova and left-hander Hector Santiago declared free agency. Left-handed reliever Josh Osich was claimed off waivers by the Red Sox after being outrighted to Triple-A Charlotte earlier Thursday.

Castillo, 32, batted .209 with 12 doubles, 12 home runs and 41 RBIs over 72 games last season, his second with the White Sox. The White Sox held an $8 million club option on Castillo for 2020 that they were not going to pick up after a disappointing run with the team. James McCann and Zack Collins are currently entrenched behind the plate for the White Sox.

According to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan, the Rangers are not expected to keep Castillo, and acquired him because they also received the $250,000 in international bonus money and will employ the $500,000 buyout.

McReynolds, 23, hit .239 with 10 doubles, six home runs, 32 RBIs and 27 runs scored over 56 games with Class A Short-Season Spokane last season. He appeared at every position except pitcher and catcher with Spokane in 2018.

Abreu is the only player expected to return among the White Sox who declared free agency on Thursday. The 32-year-old slashed .284/.330/.503 in 2019 with 33 homers, 38 doubles and a career-high and American League-leading 123 RBIs. Bringing back Abreu, one of the young team’s leaders, would not preclude the White Sox from pursuing another big hitter for a designated hitter’s spot that ranked last in the AL with a .647 OPS in ’19.

Following the moves, the White Sox 40-man roster is at 32. The team is expected to be active this offseason in the free-agent market and possibly via trade, while also having to add from the group of right-handers Dane Dunning, Zack Burdi, Alec Hansen, Jimmy Lambert, Matt Foster and Zach Thompson, outfielder Blake Rutherford, catcher Yermin Mercedes and left-handers Bernardo Flores Jr. and Kyle Kubat to the 40-man to avoid the Rule 5 Draft.