The Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox have finalized a four-player trade, bringing middle reliever Steven Wilson and swingman Yoendrys Gómez to Tampa Bay, while sending outfielder Everson Pereira and minor league infielder Tanner Murray to Chicago.
Steven Wilson, the most recognized player in the trade, is a 31-year-old right-handed pitcher. He joined the White Sox as part of a trade involving Dylan Cease during the 2023-24 offseason. Although his debut season with Chicago was challenging, leading to a waiver process, Wilson rebounded in 2024, showcasing an impressive return to form. Over a career-high 55 1/3 innings, Wilson posted a 3.42 ERA, striking out 21.1% of opponents while maintaining a personal-best walk rate of 9.1%. He relies heavily on his slider and consistently throws between 93-94 MPH with his fastball. With almost four years of service time, Wilson is under arbitration control for the next three seasons, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz estimating his salary at $1.5 million. Wilson also has a full slate of options, allowing the Rays to shuttle him between the major leagues and Triple-A Durham.
Yoendrys Gómez, 26, had a brief stint in the White Sox rotation, making nine starts and posting a 4.84 ERA over 48 1/3 innings. A former Yankees prospect, Gómez has had a turbulent journey through the league. Despite possessing a deep pitching arsenal, he has struggled with control. As he is out of options, Gómez will compete for a spot in the rotation or as long relief, needing to secure a place on the roster or potentially face designation for assignment.
The White Sox acquired Everson Pereira, a right-handed outfielder who was once a prominent international signing. The 24-year-old Venezuelan has a career .271/.362/.519 batting line in three Triple-A seasons. Despite his promising power-speed combination, Pereira’s high strikeout rate has raised concerns, evidenced by his 29% strikeout rate in the minors this year, along with 28 strikeouts in 73 at-bats during his time in the majors after being acquired by the Rays. He finds himself in a similar situation to Gómez, as he is also out of options and needs to secure a place on the Opening Day roster to avoid being designated.
Completing the trade is Tanner Murray, a 26-year-old utility player and a fourth-round pick in 2020. While he hit 18 home runs this past season, he struggled with a .241 batting average and a 24.1% strikeout rate across 572 plate appearances with Tampa Bay’s Triple-A team. Murray faces uncertainty about his placement in the organization, as he will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft unless added to the White Sox’s 40-man roster.
This trade demonstrates both teams’ strategies as they look ahead to the upcoming season, with the Rays emphasizing bullpen depth and the White Sox focusing on enhancing their outfield options. It reflects the dynamic nature of player transactions ahead of the new season, offering opportunities that could significantly impact both rosters as they strive for success in 2024.