WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF JULY

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1 WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF JULY 31, 2017 Sunday's best: Wells extends scoreless streak to 36 William Boor, MLB.com In My Words: Konerko commends Sox rebuild Paul Konerko, Special to MLB.com Shields out for better results against Blue Jays Keegan Matheson, MLB.com GM Hahn still looking to deal as Deadline nears Scott Merkin, MLB.com White Sox net two pitchers from KC for Melky Scott Merkin, MLB.com Rodon puts solid bullpen session to good use Scott Merkin, MLB.com Davidson's walk-off gets Sox back in win column Jordan Bastian and Fabian Ardaya, MLB.com Melky Cabrera becomes the latest White Sox player traded Paul Roumeliotis, CSN Chicago Melky Cabrera understands White Sox trade, even if he doesn't like it Paul Roumeliotis, CSN Chicago Matt Davidson's first career walk-off HR propels White Sox past Indians Paul Roumeliotis, CSN Chicago Tim Raines among those inducted in emotional Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony John Kekis, Associated Press Matt Davidson's walk-off home run vs. Indians 'a big pick-me-up' for White Sox Paul Skrbina, Chicago Tribune Melky Cabrera the latest in a long line of White Sox to be traded Paul Skrbina, Chicago Tribune Melky Cabrera trade marks end of an era for White Sox Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune White Sox trade Cabrera to Royals Tom Musick, Chicago Sun-Times White Sox GM Rick Hahn isn t ready to put phone down yet Tom Musick, Chicago Sun-Times Davidson lifts White Sox after Cabrera is dealt Tom Musick, Chicago Sun-Times Chicago White Sox trade Cabrera to Royals for two pitchers Scot Gregor, Daily Herald White Sox beat Indians on Davidson's walkoff homer Associated Press Davidson's home run carries Chicago White Sox to win Scot Gregor, Daily Herald Davidson HR in 9th, Chisox win 3-1, end Indians' streak at 9 Matt Schoch, Associated Press No stone left unturned: White Sox trade Melky Cabrera to the Royals James Fegan, The Athletic White Sox aren't worried about Yoan Moncada being too passive yet James Fegan, The Athletic Carlos Rodon shines in walk-off White Sox win that was all about the future James Fegan, The Athletic Rumor Central: White Sox seeking deals for pitchers approaching free agency? Alex Tekip, ESPN.com White Sox Trade Melky Cabrera To Royals For 2 Prospects CBS Chicago Sunday's best: Wells extends scoreless streak to 36 By William Boor / MLB.com July 30, 2017 Alex Wells extended his scoreless streak to 36 innings as he put up six more zeros in Class A Delmarva's 1-0 loss to Greensboro in Game one of a doubleheader on Sunday. The Orioles No. 16 prospect was stuck with a no-decision, but still put together another impressive outing as he yielded just three hits and matched his career high with seven strikeouts. Wells, who hasn't given up a run since June 30th, has held his opponents scoreless in five straight starts and has lowered his ERA from 3.14 to 2.29 during that stretch as well. Not only is Wells keeping opponents off the scoreboard, but he isn't issuing any free passes as well. Wells, who threw 62 of his 74 pitches for strikes, last walked a batter on June 25, 42 innings ago. Other top prospect performances from Sunday's action: No. 7 overall prospect Eloy Jimenez (White Sox No. 2) homered again for Class A Advanced Winston-Salem. Jimenez, who went 2-for-4 in the first half of a doubleheader, has hit four homers in 16 games since joining the White Sox organization. White Sox No. 28 prospect Alex Call set a career high with four RBIs in Class A Kannapolis' win over Lexington. Call, a third-round pick in 2016, hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning and drove in two more with a base hit in the eighth as he

2 finished 2-for-4. In My Words: Konerko commends Sox rebuild By Paul Konerko / Special to MLB.com July 30, 2017 I usually have the White Sox games on in our house. It's mostly in the background. I'll admit I'm not as dialed in. We have a lot of stuff going on with the kids. My current life doesn't allow much time for watching games. Also, the hard part for me -- and I'm sure it's the case for many former players -- is that the fewer players you know on the team, the tougher it is for me to watch. With all the trades, there are not many players left here from my final season in But from talking to people here behind the scenes, you learn what's going on. It's not rocket science. Everyone can see the prospects they're bringing in here. It's been impressive. The White Sox have a commitment to do this the right way. A lot of times when a team says that, they still wind up making some moves to play toward the middle. Obviously, that hasn't been the case here. They're going full throttle to collect as much talent as they can. That commitment will pay off down the road. I don't think it will be as long as some people say. As a fan of the game, you see that all teams are going young. The World Series teams are younger. Maybe over the next year, year and a half, they might take some lumps. But it wouldn't shock me if it all starts coming together at the end of next year. When you rebuild in today's game, it seems to turn over much quicker compared to years ago. I had a chance to talk to this year's first-round pick Jake Burger. When he said he grew up watching me play, it made me feel like I was an elderly man. Then again, I'm 41. When you think about it, he was 9 years old when I was in the 2005 World Series. He seems like a nice kid. I watched some video of him, and he looks like a big kid who can hit. Of course, I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for a right-handed hitter who's not known for his defense or speed. You're always going to need guys who can hit. I gave him my number and told him to call if he ever wanted to talk about anything. When you look at what's occurring now, there's a bit of a comparison from an attitude standpoint to when I came to the White Sox in I was 23, and we had some good young hitters coming up: Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Lee. There was a healthy competitiveness. Everyone wanted to keep up with the other guys. It pushed us to be good. I remember going to Yankee Stadium for the first time thinking, "We don't even belong on the same field as these guys. This is what good looks like, and we're not it." It turned out to be one of my most fun years in baseball. It felt like a college team who all hung together. We went from going in 1999 to and winning the division in We thought we'd be good for a few years, but it didn't work out that way. What's happening now is going to be different. All things being equal, this will be a way better collection of talent. This is on a much grander scale. I know it's going to be tough initially in the loss column. But when it gets good here, it's going to stay good for a long time. As told to Ed Sherman Shields out for better results against Blue Jays By Keegan Matheson / MLB.com July 30, 2017 When the dust finally settles from Monday's 4 p.m. ET non-waiver Trade Deadline, the Blue Jays and White Sox will open a three-game set in Chicago that night with Marco Estrada and James Shields scheduled to be on the mound. Estrada's name has been the focus of trade speculation in recent weeks as the Blue Jays have struggled to leapfrog back into contention in the American League East or Wild Card. The right-hander is a pending free agent, but is having his poorest season with the Blue Jays and enters play with a 5.43 ERA. In Estrada's last start, he allowed just two runs on three hits over five innings. His fastball and changeup combination looked much better, and a home run in the fifth represented the only damage. However, he walked four batters.

3 "I still don't like the way I'm throwing the ball," Estrada said after Wednesday's start. "It's not me. I don't walk people. That's the only thing I'm upset about is walks. The home run, it is what it is. That's what happens when you fall behind. It was a 3-1 fastball, so those things are going to happen, but if I stop falling behind so often and walking guys, I wouldn't get hurt so much. I do feel like I took a step in the right direction." The White Sox have recently dealt Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier, Anthony Swarzak, Dan Jennings and Melky Cabrera, and given that their record is the worst in the AL, it's possible they seek out other moves to improve their suddenly stacked farm system. Shields enters this series with a 5.86 ERA and continues to struggle with walks, which were rarely an issue earlier in his career. The right-hander has walked five batters per nine innings this season, including three walks in five of his last six starts. Depth of start has been an issue for Shields, too, as he's hit six innings just three times in 10 outings. Three things to watch for in this game The White Sox haven't seen much of Estrada as a team. Only Jose Abreu and Yolmer Sanchez have faced Estrada in his career, and those two players have combined to go 2-for-9. Opposing hitters have been locked in on Shields' four-seam fastball and cutter, which are his two most-used pitches. According to Statcast, Shields has given up a.593 slugging percentage against his four-seamer and a.623 slugging percentage against his cutter. Neither pitches have experienced notable velocity changes year to year, but there has been plenty of hard contact going the other way. Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna took a rare blown save and loss on Saturday, which coincided with a velocity dip on his two-seam fastball of 2.33 mph, per Statcast. It was a sample of just seven two-seamers, but given Osuna's slow start to 2017 as he brought his velocity back up, this will be worth monitoring throughout the series. GM Hahn still looking to deal as Deadline nears By Scott Merkin / MLB.com July 30, 2017 CHICAGO -- Rick Hahn has been one of the busiest general managers in baseball since the second half began. And he might not be done. "It's not 3 o'clock on Monday yet," said Hahn, referring to the non-waiver Trade Deadline as he spoke to the media Sunday following the trade of outfielder Melky Cabrera to the Royals for two Minor League relievers. "So we are going to continue our conversations and see if any of them lead anywhere." This rebuild and ensuing flurry of moves for the White Sox actually began with the team's highly touted 2016 Draft class, followed soon by the trade of Zach Duke to the Cardinals in exchange for outfielder Charlie Tilson at last year's nonwaiver Trade Deadline. The rebuild shifted into high gear with the Chris Sale to Boston and Adam Eaton to the Nationals deals during the Winter Meetings, bringing back players such as Yoan Moncada, MLBPipeline.com's top-rated prospect, and Michael Kopech, MLBPipeline's top-rated pitching prospect, just to name a few. Pitchers such as Miguel Gonzalez or Derek Holland still could foster late interest on the trade market. But even without another move, the White Sox have taken major steps forward in building toward sustained success and still have the August waiver period to make further deals. "The dynamic changes," said Hahn of trading in August. "It will be quiet for a couple of days, then this stuff will pick up again. We have had some success with August acquisitions, and we're certainly hoping to revisit that in the coming weeks." Leury Garcia took Cabrera's roster spot as well as his leadoff position in Sunday's lineup when he returned from his injury rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Charlotte and was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list. Garcia homered in the sixth inning off Nick Goody to not only tie the game but break up Cleveland's no-hit bid in an eventual 3-1 White Sox victory. "It's nice to have Leury back," said White Sox manager Rick Renteria. Garcia had been on the disabled list since June 19 (retroactive to June 16) with a sprained finger on his left hand. He appeared in three rehab games between the Arizona Rookie League and Charlotte and has hit.297 with nine doubles,

4 one triple, seven home runs, 23 RBIs, 29 runs and a.470 slugging percentage for the Sox. White Sox net two pitchers from KC for Melky By Scott Merkin / MLB.com July 30, 2017 CHICAGO -- Melky Cabrera became the seventh veteran to be traded from the White Sox since the All-Star break, with the switch-hitting outfielder sent to the Royals on Sunday along with cash considerations in exchange for Minor League hurlers A.J. Puckett and Andre Davis. The White Sox picked up half of the remaining $5 million from Cabrera's three-year, $42 million deal, per a Major League source. The switch-hitting left fielder joins Jose Quintana, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle, Todd Frazier, Anthony Swarzak and Dan Jennings as the group moved over the past 2 1/2 weeks, with 11 prospects coming back, along with veteran reliever Tyler Clippard. "We are pleased. I don't want to say we are surprised. This was our mission," said White Sox general manager Rick Hahn following Sunday's deal. "This is what we set out to do. This is what we felt was important to the long-term health of the organization. We had a plan and a method to go about achieving what we set out to do. "With that said, you do need to respond to the market, and you do need to find fits. It's not always the easiest thing to get across the finish line, but thanks to the hard work of our scouts and fellows in the front office, we've been ready to move on multiple fronts and get these things done as the opportunities have arisen." A market for Cabrera was pretty quiet as of Friday, but talks with the Royals came together over the pst 48 hours, according to Hahn. Cabrera picked up his third four-hit game of the season Saturday. He is batting.341 with seven home runs, 25 RBIs and 26 runs over his past 44 games and is hitting.335 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs over his past 58 games. The left fielder also is tied for the Major League lead with nine outfield assists. Not only is Cabrera a strong contributor on the field, but he has been characterized as a popular clubhouse presence. While Cabrera had expressed a desire to remain with the White Sox, he now returns to a team where he played in 2011, a team in contention for the American League Central title and the AL Wild Card. "As I told Melky directly this morning, he has been outstanding for this organization since he first put on our uniform," Hahn said. "Not only in terms of his performance between the white lines, but what he did in the clubhouse. He's obviously a great ambassador for the game, a very enthusiastic, passionate player. And he will be missed." "Honestly I wasn't expecting this because I love the city," said Cabrera through interpreter Billy Russo. "I love the team, but at the same time, you are seeing what's happening around the team with all the moves." Puckett, 22, was the Royals' second-round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, the No. 13 prospect for the Royals per MLBPipeline.com and now the No. 25 for the White Sox. He has a 3.90 ERA over 20 starts with Class A Advanced Wilmington this season, striking out 98 batters and walking 46 over 108 1/3 innings. The White Sox also get the 23-yearold Davis, who is 5-4 with a 5.46 ERA and 87 K's in 85 2/3 innings at Class A Lexington. Hahn sees Davis having starter or reliever potential. Puckett is seen as a starter with a three-pitch mix who has a clean delivery and command to both sides of the plate. "Certainly no reason not to project him as part of a rotation," said Hahn of Puckett. "You've seen us acquire a fair amount of power-arm types. He's not that type. He has more pitchability than stuff. He knows how to pitch, and he's the type of guy who conceivably could come quickly because of that." Rodon puts solid bullpen session to good use Young lefty fires 6 2/3 quality innings vs. AL Central leaders By Scott Merkin / MLB.com July 30, 2017 CHICAGO -- The quality start put together by Carlos Rodon in the White Sox 3-1 walk-off victory over the Indians on Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field actually took root during a quality bullpen session Friday. "Bullpen days for starters are big," said Rodon, who finished with a no-decision after allowing one run on six hits over 6 2/3 innings while striking out nine and walking two. "It's a day we work, and it's real concentrated work.

5 "What you try to do is build on that and bring it into the game. So [White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper], [White Sox bullpen coach Curt Hasler] and I figured some stuff out and built off of it." Rodon threw a season-high 110 pitches and put together the first White Sox quality start not thrown by Miguel Gonzalez (three times) in the past 19 games. As a rotation, the White Sox have 14 quality starts in their last 60 games, including Rodon's effort. In his last start Tuesday against the Cubs, Rodon struck out 11. He also threw 98 pitches over four innings in the loss, leaving Rodon searching for answers but confident he would find them. Rodon pitched off his fastball Sunday, featuring better overall command and topping 97 mph twice in the sixth and going over 96 mph seven times in the seventh. "His stuff is still good," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. "He's getting a handful of starts under his belt now and you're starting to see the velocity creep up. The breaking ball's good. He's probably still not commanding like he will, or how he was learning to, but he kept us off the barrel. "When we had men on, he made pitches. He was a guy who, before he got hurt, was really starting to figure it out. He was getting pretty good, so I don't doubt that he'll get back there. You can just see the touch and feel maybe isn't where it will be." Sunday marked start No. 6 this season for Rodon, who debuted June 28 after missing three months of the season due to biceps bursitis. While this is the home stretch for many starting pitchers, it's still sort of the beginning for the left-hander. But early or not, Rodon was set on getting things back on target after his uneven Cubs start, and his weekend work points in the right direction. "Velo was there [with the fastball], so we could pitch off of it," Rodon said. "I know going in they are going to be patient and try to make me throw strikes. If I can attack the zone and get them to swing and put them in swing mode, then it's to my advantage. If not, it's to their advantage. Today happened to be my advantage." "He did actually do what he said he wanted to do," White Sox manage Rick Renteria said. "People are always working, and sometimes the work doesn't transition from the work routine to the field. But in this instance, I think it did." Davidson's walk-off gets Sox back in win column By Jordan Bastian and Fabian Ardaya / MLB.com July 30, 2017 CHICAGO -- The White Sox managed only four hits Sunday afternoon, but they made them count, and the final one set off an on-field celebration. Matt Davidson belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to send Chicago to a 3-1 walk-off win over the Indians at Guaranteed Rate Field. The victory -- the first at home for Chicago since July 2, when Jose Quintana (now with the Cubs) notched the win and David Robertson (now with the Yankees) the save -- snapped Cleveland's nine-game winning streak. Moments after Jose Abreu's one-out double, Davidson hit his 21st homer over the center-field fence off reliever Bryan Shaw. "It was really cool," Davidson said. "It was my first time doing that. I was trying to drive [Abreu] in. It's been a rough go for us, so to get that feeling and get that win was huge. Shaw has a really good cutter, throws it a lot. Wanted to see one in the zone. He left one in there, and I got it." Josh Tomlin started for the Indians, but tightness in his left hamstring forced him out of the game after four no-hit innings. It represented the third time in Chicago's past five games that an opposing pitcher carried a no-hitter through four. This time, though, reliever Nick Goody was asked to pick up where Tomlin left off. Goody struck out the first five batters he faced before flinching in the sixth. White Sox outfielder Leury Garcia -- inserted into the lineup in place of Melky Cabrera, who was traded to the Royals before the game -- ended Goody's run by sending a 1-2 pitch into the right-field stands for a game-tying solo homer. "I wanted to keep going," said Tomlin, who will know more about the severity of his injury Monday. "I understand we're short-handed in the bullpen, so you never want to put them in a bind. But you also don't want to go out there and cost your team a game by trying to compensate either. It's kind of a tough situation you're put in." Due to Tomlin's early exit, Indians manager Terry Francona used Goody, Dan Otero and Shaw for multiple innings.

6 "It's a shame," Francona said. "Goody was so good, and then Garcia had a really good at-bat and hit the home run. Everybody did [well]. Shaw was in his second inning of work. Otero was efficient. When you score one run, especially on the road, it makes it difficult." Garcia's shot, his seventh of the season, enabled lefty Carlos Rodon to walk away with a no-decision for his effort. Rodon, who boasts a 2.34 ERA in 10 career games against Cleveland, struck out nine, walked two and gave up one run over 6 2/3 innings. His lone blemish was a third-inning homer to Francisco Lindor, who has a career-high 16. "The velo was there, so we could pitch off of it," Rodon said of his fastball, which touched 98.4 mph. "I know going in they are going to be patient and try to make me throw strikes. If I can attack the zone and get them to swing and put them in swing mode, then it's to my advantage. If not, it's to their advantage. Today it happened to fall on my plate and my advantage." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Garcia bests Goody: Goody got Garcia into a 1-1 count, but Chicago's left fielder fought off four pitches, fouling them away. Goody then left a slider up and over the plate, and Garcia made him pay with a shot that had a 101-mph exit velocity, per Statcast. The homer was the ninth of Garcia's career, and all of them have come from the left side. The switch-hitter entered Sunday slugging.348 for his career as a lefty hitter, compared to.261 from the right side. It was Garcia's first game with the White Sox since June 15 after spending time on the disabled list with a sprained finger on his left hand. "That's a huge pick-me-up in terms of being able to finish out a ballgame," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "We were down most of the game, Leury hits a homer, ties it. He's been gone a while, just recovering from that hand thing." Missed chances: The Indians ended the afternoon 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and 1-for-15 with runners on base, so there were missed opportunities throughout the game. One key missed opportunity came in the seventh, when Lindor stepped up with a pair of runners in scoring position. Jake Petricka took over on the mound for Rodon and induced an inning-ending flyout to left. "Some of that was due to Rodon, the way he was pitching," Francona said of the missed scoring chances. "His stuff, again, it's good stuff, and he's got really good spin on the breaking ball. Sometimes you've got to give the other guy a bit of credit." QUOTABLE "Melky was one of the guys who's obviously been as consistent as any Major League player can be on a particular club. Not only did he bring a particular type of energy to the clubhouse and a personality that created some cohesiveness within the ranks, he also went out and gave you what he could. His professionalism and the way he went about his business, we all appreciated it and will miss it." -- Renteria "You can tell he missed almost a year, but he's getting a handful of starts under his belt now, and you're starting to see the velocity creep up. The breaking ball's good. He's probably still not commanding like he wants, but he kept us off the barrel. And when we had men on, he made pitches. He was a guy who, before he got hurt, was really starting to figure it out. He was getting pretty good, and I don't doubt that he'll get back there." -- Francona, on Rodon SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Tomlin's exit was unique in that it marked only the 20th time since 1913 that a Major League starting pitcher exited a game after exactly four no-hit innings. UPON FURTHER REVIEW In the third inning, Tim Anderson hit a sharp grounder to shortstop Lindor, who gloved the ball but threw high across the diamond. First baseman Carlos Santana came off the bag as he jumped and reached for the ball, allowing Anderson to get his foot on the bag before Santana landed. The Indians challenged the safe ruling, but a 42-second replay review confirmed the call. Lindor was charged with a throwing error. WHAT'S NEXT

7 Indians: Right-hander Mike Clevinger (5-3, 3.20 ERA) is slated to take the ball for the Tribe in the opener of a three-game set against the Red Sox on Monday at Fenway Park. Game time is 7:10 p.m. ET. Over his past seven starts, Clevinger is 3-0 with a 2.41 ERA, piling up 40 strikeouts against 18 walks with a.201 opponents' average in 37 1/3 innings. White Sox: James Shields (2-3, 5.86 ERA) takes the mound for the White Sox in the first game of a three-game set against the Blue Jays at 7:10 p.m. CT. The Blue Jays are the last of three teams to visit Guaranteed Rate Field on this eight-game homestand. Shields has just one quality start since coming off his first career stint on the disabled list on June 18. Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV. Melky Cabrera becomes the latest White Sox player traded By Paul Roumeliotis / CSN Chicago July 30, 2017 Another domino has fallen on the South Side. The White Sox announced Sunday that they have traded Melky Cabrera to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for A.J. Puckett and Andre Davis. According to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the White Sox are paying half of Cabrera's $5.1 million remaining salary: Cabrera recorded 13 homers and 56 RBI this season with the White Sox and slashed.295/.336/.436. Puckett was the Royals' No. 13 prospect, according to the MLB. The 22-year-old pitcher went 9-7 with a 3.90 ERA in 20 starts this season with Class-A Wilmington. Davis, 23, is 5-4 with a 4.83 ERA this season with Class-A Lexington. In a corresponding move, the White Sox have brought back Leury Garcia. He will start and bat leadoff on Sunday when the White Sox battle the Cleveland Indians. Melky Cabrera understands White Sox trade, even if he doesn't like it By Paul Roumeliotis / CSN Chicago July 30, 2017 The rebuilding White Sox continued to load up their farm system on Sunday with a trade that sent Melky Cabrera to the Kansas City Royals. The White Sox received prospects AJ Puckett and Andre Davis in return, and also picked up half of Cabrera's $5.1 million remaining salary. Cabrera, who signed with the White Sox in 2014 as a free agent, repeatedly stated that he would like to stay in Chicago for the long term but understands it's part of the business. Honestly, I wasn t expecting this because I love the city, I love the team, Cabrera said through a translator. But at the same time you are seeing what s happening around the team with all the moves, just try to block all those things, but I knew it was a possibility for this to happen. Cabrera is headed to familiar territory in Kansas City. The 32-year-old outfielder played with the Royals in 2011, where he had his best statistical season by setting career-highs in home runs (18), RBI (87), and hits (201). This season, Cabrera has been excellent, recording 13 homers and 56 RBI while slashing.295/.336/.436. In three seasons on the South Side, he racked up 39 homers and 219 RBI but was just as valuable to the team in the locker room. As I told Melky this morning, he has been outstanding for this organization since he put on this uniform, not only for his performance in the white lines but for what he did in the clubhouse, Hahn said. He s a great ambassador for the game, very enthusiastic, passionate player and he ll be missed. That said, as we ve made no secret about, this is about preparing ourselves for the future. The White Sox added a pair of young arms in Puckett and Davis. Puckett was the Royals second round pick in 2016 while Davis a southpaw was selected in the eighth round of the 2015 draft.

8 Puckett was the Royals No. 13 rated prospect, according to the MLB. With the White Sox, he sits at No. 25. The 22-yearold went 9-7 with a 3.90 ERA in 20 starts this season with Class-A Wilmington. A 23-year-old Davis went 5-4 with a 4.83 ERA with Class-A Lexington. "With today s move we were able to pick up another couple interesting arms," Hahn said. "Puckett, the Royals top pick last year, a second-rounder, strong pitchability, three pitch mix, commands the ball both sides of the plate, clean delivery. He s a guy that s good to add to our mix of young arms. Davis is a lefty that could project for the starter role or the relief role." Since December, the White Sox have traded nine players off their big-league roster. Those trades along with draft picks has revamped a White Sox minor league system which currently ranks one of the best in the league. Hahn said that he has been pleased, but not surprised, with the returns from those players. "This was our mission," Hahn said. "This is what we set out to do. This is what we felt was important for the long-term health of the organization. We had a plan. That said, you need to respond the market. It s not always the easiest thing to get across the finish line." By the time the trade deadline is over on Monday, more moves could be made. It s not 3 o clock Monday yet, Hahn said. We re going to keep on with our conversations and see if they lead anywhere. Matt Davidson's first career walk-off HR propels White Sox past Indians Paul Roumeliotis / CSN Chicago July 30, 2017 Matt Davidson snapped the White Sox five-game losing streak by doing something the team hadn't done in more than two years. In the bottom of the ninth of Sunday s series finale against the Cleveland Indians, Davidson smacked a two-run homer to end the game in walk-off fashion for the White Sox for the first time since July 7, 2015 when Adam Eaton did so against the Toronto Blue Jays. It was the first walk-off of Davidson s major league career, and it ended in a Gatorade bath at home plate. It was really cool," he said after the White Sox 3-1 win. "It was my first time doing that. I was trying to drive him in. It s been a rough go for us, so to get that feeling and get that win was huge for us." Davidson has a knack for hitting homers. He has only three hits in his last 26 at-bats but all three have left the ballpark one of which was the longest at Wrigley Field during the Crosstown Classic. The 26-year-old slugger increased his home run total to 21, which leads the team. With it being my rookie season, I m pretty excited about it," Davidson said of his season so far. "But I still have a lot of work to do. I m learning every day. I ve had highs and lows, and I m just trying to be more consistent with my approach." Though he leads his team in homers, he also has struck out a team-high 124 times this season, and that s something he's looking to improve on. "My biggest hole is swinging at balls, and when I do that, obviously anybody isn t going to be successful with that," Davidson said. "I m just trying to play with different approaches and try to get the ball in the zone consistently. When the ball is in the zone, usually I m pretty good. But when I m swinging out, I really don t give myself a chance. So that s what I m working on. The White Sox rebuilding process took away another key member of the clubhouse, with news that Melky Cabrera was traded to the Kansas City Royals prior to Sunday's game. But with that comes an opportunity for someone like Davidson, who s looking to take advantage of his playing time and helping fill that void.

9 "All of us have great opportunities here, Davidson said. We have a great leader with Rick here, and he s preaching to us all the time about what we need to do and what we re doing for the future. What s going to make the future successful is us doing the right thing right now and focusing on that. It is going to be hard. It s going to be tough. "These last two months are going to be tough for us, but we re going to be up for it. The staff is going to be up for it, and everyone in this building and on that field is going to be up for it. We re ready to take the challenge. We know it s not going to be easy, but we re here and we get to play Major League Baseball every day and get that opportunity and we re excited about it." Tim Raines among those inducted in emotional Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony John Kekis / Associated Press July 30, 2017 Pudge" Rodriguez stared out at his father, wiping away tears as he spoke. "I love you with all of my heart," Rodriguez said. "If I'm a Hall of Famer, you're a Hall of Famer double." Those words punctuated Rodriguez's speech as he was inducted Sunday into the Baseball Hall of Fame. "It's always emotional when you see the fans cheering for you, and my whole family in front of me," Bagwell said. "I'm an emotional person. It's a dream just to be part of this beautiful group. Now I have that plaque forever. It's unbelievable." Before he started, Rodriguez received a standing ovation from hundreds of fans, many wearing red-and-white jerseys with Puerto Rico emblazoned on the front, and proceeded to give half his speech in Spanish. "This is such an incredible honor for me," Rodriguez said. "A little kid from Puerto Rico with a big dream. Never let them take your dream away from you." The 45-year-old Rodriguez holds major league records for games caught (2,427) and putouts by a catcher (12,376). He hit 311 homers and batted.296 in his career. He's also only the second catcher elected on the first ballot, following in the footsteps of his childhood idol, Cincinnati Reds star Johnny Bench, who was seated on the dais behind him. After speaking in Spanish, Rodriguez went back and repeated in English, concentrating on a message to youth. "You have the right to dream," he said. "Everything in life is possible. I speak from experience." Bagwell, who played his entire 15-year career in Houston, took the dais to an extended applause from the Astros fans who made the trip. "You know I don't like attention," Bagwell said with a tinge of nervousness. "I'm so humbled to be here. I'm just really trying to figure out what's going on." Bagwell started his speech by thanking his family, singling out his parents and wife. "Mom, you are just the most amazing person in the world," he said. "You've been a pillar for me. I can't tell you how much I love you and what you mean to me. My father, Bob. There's something about a dad. You brought me to love this game of baseball. Something my father instilled in me was to never quit. Deep inside, I just never gave up. That drive got me a long way." The 48-year-old Bagwell was one-third of the famed "Killer B's" of the Astros, along with Hall of Famer Craig Biggio and Lance Berkman. Together they helped transform the Astros from a last-place team to the World Series in 2005, the first team from Texas to do so. Elected in his seventh year on the ballot, Bagwell is the only first baseman in history with 400 career home runs and 200 stolen bases. "I tried to do everything well," he said. "I wanted to score for my team and for my other players. I enjoy the stolen bases more than anything else. For a little guy with not much speed, I truly appreciate that. I could help us win in different ways." Bagwell ended his career with 449 home runs and from had at least 30 home runs, 100 runs scored and 100 RBIs per season, only the sixth player in major league history to reach those marks in at least six straight years. Raines was greeted by scores of fans from Canada, many of whom came aboard several buses. He thanked his mom and dad, who were seated in the front row and later focused on Hall of Famer Andre Dawson, his teammate with the Montreal Expos when he first broke into the major leagues in the early 1980s.

10 "Without Andre Dawson there's no telling where I'd be," said Raines, who fought cocaine problems early in his career. "I wanted to kind of be like you and he finally accepted and I followed. Thank you so much for making me the player I became." The 57-year-old Raines, a switch-hitter, batted.294 and had a.385 on-base percentage in his 23-year career, finishing with 2,605 hits, 1,571 runs and 808 stolen bases. His stolen base total is the fifth-highest in major league history and included 70 or more steals in each season from , a streak that stands alone in baseball history. And his 84.7 percent success rate tops the list among players with at least 400 steal attempts. Raines also cited former Kansas City Royals star George Brett and base-stealing king Rickey Henderson, both Hall of Famers who were seated behind him on the stage. For Selig, who was celebrating his 83rd birthday, it was a reversal of roles. For more than two decades he gave out the Hall of Fame plaques on induction day. "It's an overwhelming, stunning feeling," said Selig, who dropped his speech midway through it but never skipped a beat. "You're getting the highest honor." Selig left a large imprint during more than 22 years as the leader of the game. He was instrumental in the approval of interleague play, the expansion of the playoffs, splitting each league into three divisions with wild cards, instituting video review and revenue-sharing in an era that saw the construction of 20 new ballparks. His tenure also included the Steroids Era and the cancellation of the 1994 World Series amid a players' strike, but he left baseball in excellent shape economically without labor strife and with a strict drug-testing policy that has helped clean up the game. In 26 years as a GM for the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves, Schuerholz stood alone. His teams won 16 division titles, six pennants and two World Series, one in each league, a first. He credited divine providence and fate for his good fortune, starting with a case of German measles that left him deaf in his right ear at age five, which he said forced him to be more attentive. Schuerholz, who played second base at Towson University, said he quickly figured out where he should concentrate his future in baseball after a two-day tryout when he was told to time the players on the second day instead of taking the field. "The message was delivered," Schuerholz said. "I'd better concentrate someplace other than trying to be a professional baseball player. Divine providence. Fate. I truly believe so." Matt Davidson's walk-off home run vs. Indians 'a big pick-me-up' for White Sox By Paul Skrbina / Chicago Tribune July 30, 2017 Matt Davidson made a Bryan Shaw pitch disappear over the wall in left-center field as Sunday afternoon leaned into Sunday evening. The rookie third baseman's first walk-off home run didn't take with it the White Sox's struggles, but it was good for a 3-1 victory against the Indians. And it provided a moment of joy for a team that earlier Sunday continued its massive rebuilding effort by trading left fielder Melky Cabrera to the Royals. "It's a big pick-me-up," Sox manager Rick Renteria said after his team ended the Indians' winning streak at nine. The home run, Davidson's team-leading 21st, followed Jose Abreu's double to left field and ended the team's five-game losing streak. It was the Sox's second win in 16 games and first at home since July 2. "It's been a rough go for us, so to get that feeling and get that win was huge for us," Davidson said. "That's why these things probably mean more than just a normal win." White Sox hitting coach Todd Steverson was ejected after the fifth inning for arguing a called third strike against Tim Anderson, the fourth of six in a row by Sox hitters. Coincidentally, they had zero hits at the time.

11 That changed with two out in the sixth when Leury Garcia, who was reinstated off the disabled list and inserted as Cabrera's last-minute replacement, hit a solo home run to tie the score in his first game since June 15. Starter Carlos Rodon didn't benefit with a victory, but lasted 6 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts and two walks. He allowed six hits, including a solo home run to Francisco Lindor. "We are trying to do something special here," Rodon said. "We were trying to do it for a while. As you see by the moves, it takes some time." Pencil him in for pen? Two days after throwing 45 pitches, Sox starter Mike Pelfrey warmed up in the bullpen Saturday. The right-hander said it was in case of emergency and was included as part of his weekly routine. But a move to the bullpen soon wouldn't surprise Pelfrey, who has made eight relief appearances in 260 career games. The Sox could call up Reynaldo Lopez or Lucas Giolito soon. "I don't know what their ultimate idea is. I know eventually those guy are the future," Pelfrey said. I think they might come up and get their feet wet. I'm willing to do whatever they ask of me." Melky Cabrera the latest in a long line of White Sox to be traded By Paul Skrbina / Chicago Tribune July 30, 2017 A little more than an hour before first pitch Sunday, Melky Cabrera was scheduled to bat leadoff against the Indians at Guaranteed Rate Field. Instead of wearing a White Sox uniform, though, the left fielder was in shorts and a T-shirt, packing up his belongings and bidding teammates farewell before he heads to the Royals, the latest in a slew of Sox to leave the building in the name of rebuilding as Monday's 3 p.m. trade deadline looms. The Sox dealt Cabrera for a pair of pitching prospects: right-hander A.J. Puckett and left-hander Andre Davis. They will pick up half the tab on the approximately $5 million owed to Cabrera, whose three-year, $42 million deal expires after this season. Cabrera became the sixth Sox player traded for prospects in 11 days. Since July 31 of last year, when the Sox sent reliever Zach Duke to the Cardinals for outfielder Charlie Tilson, they have traded 11 big-leaguers and received 22 minorleaguers in return. "I wasn't expecting this because I love the city, I love the team," Cabrera said through a team interpreter. "But you are seeing what's happening around the team with all the moves. I knew it was a possibility." General manager Rick Hahn has converted Chris Sale, Adam Eaton and Jose Quintana, among others, into highly regarded prospects Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease. Puckett, 22, was the Royals' 13th-ranked prospect, according to MLB.com. He was 9-7 with a 3.90 ERA in 20 starts for Class A Wilmington after being picked 67th in last year's draft. He was in an induced coma for three days between his sophomore and junior years of high school while he underwent brain surgery for an accidental injury he received from a friend. Davis, 23, was 5-4 with a 4.83 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 18 starts for Class A Lexington. Cabrera, who played for the Royals in 2011, is batting.295 with 13 home runs, 17 doubles and 56 RBIs and is tied for the major-league lead with nine outfield assists. He hit.287 with 39 homers, 219 RBIs and 194 runs scored in 407 games with the Sox, who signed him as a free agent in December He had four hits Saturday in his last game with the team. "He has been outstanding for this organization since he put on this uniform," Hahn said, "not only for his performance in the white lines but for what he did in the clubhouse. He's a great ambassador for the game, very enthusiastic, passionate player and he'll be missed. "As we've made no secret about, this is about preparing ourselves for the future."

12 Hahn said talks with the Royals heated up during the last 48 hours. He also said the Sox might not be done dealing. "It's not 3 o'clock Monday yet," he said. "We're going to keep on with our conversations and see if they lead anywhere." Cabrera's next road will lead to Baltimore, where the Royals open a series Monday against the Orioles. He said he understood and appreciated the franchise's focus. "With all these moves, the team acquired very good prospects and that's (what) they're trying to do here," he said. "Happy and sad moment for me. I had very good friends here." Melky Cabrera trade marks end of an era for White Sox By Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune July 30, 2017 After signing Melky Cabrera to a three-year, $42 million contract following the 2014 season, the White Sox held a joint news conference featuring Cabrera, David Robertson and Jeff Samardzija. Those three new players, along with first baseman Adam LaRoche, were introduced as a sign the Sox were going for it again after an 89-loss season. General manager Rick Hahn was widely lauded for the offseason moves, and he began the news conference by saying, "So, how was your week?" Hahn explained that executive vice president Ken Williams and Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf wanted to contend immediately, and the flurry of offseason moves would allow the Sox to do just that. "Kenny spoke earlier in this offseason about getting us back into a position where fans could dream again," Hahn said. All four key players from the Class of 2015 are gone, with Cabrera's departure Sunday marking the end of an era. The dream is over. Long live the rebuild. Hahn couldn't get much for Cabrera, sending him to the division rival Royals for two low-level prospects, including pitcher A.J. Puckett, ranked 13th in the Royals organization by MLB.com. The Sox also had to pay part of Cabrera's remaining salary, which suggests the market for his services was weak despite his solid bat. The Melky Era will be remembered as one of great promise and little success. The Sox overpaid to sign the former PED user, knowing he carried the stigma from his 2012 drug suspension with the Giants. Hahn said Cabrera had shown "remorse" and deserved a shot at redemption, and he got that on the South Side. Hahn praised him Sunday for being a "great ambassador" for the game. After the Cabrera signing, Hahn said Reinsdorf "smelled it and he wanted to get it done." Robertson received a four-year deal despite having closed for only one season with the Yankees. Samardzija arrived from the A's in a deal for prospects, including shortstop Marcus Semien, giving the Sox a quality top of the rotation with Chris Sale and Jose Quintana. Cabrera got off to a rough start in 2015, and the season eventually turned into a nightmare. He put up decent numbers for losing teams all three years, and his.287 average in 2 1/2 seasons with the Sox was what you would expect from a.286 career hitter. He hit 39 home runs, drove in 219 runs and smashed a guitar while batting in a TV promotion for Country Music Night. The Royals know what they're getting. They had Cabrera in 2011, when he put up solid numbers before being dealt to the Giants. He was hitting.346 the next year in San Francisco before the steroid suspension on Aug. 15, 2012, right in the middle of a pennant race. He still received a World Series ring and got a two-year, $16 million deal from the Blue Jays the next offseason. Crime paid after all.

13 The dumping of Cabrera was not a shocker, though he said he liked it here and wanted to stay. No one ever leaves and says they didn't like it in Chicago, except perhaps LaTroy Hawkins. The trade leaves Jose Abreu as the only remaining Sox star from that '15 team. It's doubtful he'll be traded because he's a mentor to fellow Cubans Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert, though Abreu is a more valuable piece than Cabrera. The Sox players will miss Cabrera in the clubhouse, and his dugout antics, such as climbing on the backs of his teammates, were always fun to watch. On the flip side, Cabrera didn't always hustle and just last week in Kansas City turned an easy double off the wall into a single because he thought it was a home run and didn't bother to run. Radio analyst Darrin Jackson called out Cabrera for loafing during the broadcast, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. Cabrera was setting a bad example for younger players, but because he was so well-liked, the Sox shrugged it off. No one could be mad at Melky, who just wanted to have fun. White Sox trade Cabrera to Royals The White Sox traded Melky Cabrera to the Royals on Sunday for two pitching prospects. By Tom Musick / Chicago Sun-Times July 30, 2017 The White Sox traded Melky Cabrera to the Royals on Sunday in exchange for two pitching prospects. Right-hander A.J. Puckett and left-hander Andre Davis will join the Sox farm system as part of the deal. The Sox will pick up part of Cabrera s remaining salary. Cabrera played for Kansas City in 2011 and will have a chance to contribute to a playoff contender for the rest of the season. However, he said he was sad to leave his teammates on the Sox. Honestly, I wasn t expecting this, Cabrera said through an interpreter as he stood outside the Sox locker room. Because I love the city, I love the team, but at the same time you are seeing what s happening around the team with all the moves. I knew it was a possibility for this to happen. Puckett, 22, was the 13th-ranked prospect in the Royals system. He was 9-7 with a 3.90 ERA in 20 starts with Class A Wilmington. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound hurler earned a selection to the Carolina League All-Star Game this season. Davis, 23, was 5-4 with a 4.83 ERA in 18 starts with Class A Lexington. At 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, he is averaging 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings this season. Sox general manager Rick Hahn said Puckett and Davis were interesting arms who would bolster the organization s pitching depth. Puckett was the Royals top pick (second round, No. 67 overall) in 2016, and Davis was an eighth-round pick in As we ve made no secret about, this is about preparing ourselves for the future, Hahn said. Puckett (features) strong pitchability, three-pitch mix, commands the ball to both sides of the plate. Clean delivery. He s a guy that s good to add to our mix of young arms. Davis is a lefty that could project for the starter role or the relief role. Cabrera, 32, hit.295 with 13 home runs and 56 RBIs in 98 games during his third season with the Sox. The Sox activated Leury Garcia from the 10-day disabled list to take Cabrera s spot on the roster. Garcia will lead off and play left field Sunday against the Indians. Hahn acknowledged that the Sox might not be finished trading ahead of Monday s deadline. We re going to keep on with our conversations and see if they lead anywhere, Hahn said. White Sox GM Rick Hahn isn t ready to put phone down yet It s not 3 o clock on Monday yet, Hahn said in reference to the trade deadline. We re going to continue with our conversations. By Tom Musick / Chicago Sun-Times July 30, 2017