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Long-time Chicago White Sox first baseman/DH Paul Konerko has been placed on revocable waivers by the team, reports Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune.
The action indicates a possible willingness by the White Sox to move the struggling Konerko. If he passes through waivers without being claimed, the team will be allowed to freely trade him to any team, just like they would have prior to the July trade deadline. If Konerko is claimed by a team, the White Sox would have three options. They could pull Konerko back from waivers and keep him on the roster, they could work out a trade with the claiming team or they could allow the claiming team to take Konerko and his contract. If the latter option occurs, the claiming team would assume his remaining contract.
Konerko, 37, is due about $1.5 million for the remainder of the year before becoming a free agent, but has $7 million in deferred money coming his way.
The notion of Konerko leaving the White Sox is unlikely, says Phil Rogers. However, it is not impossible. Still, Konerko is likely close to retirement, and may hang up his cleats after this season. As such, he may be unwilling to accept a trade to a new team. Konerko has a no-trade clause thanks to MLB's 10-5 rights. Those rights state that a player with 10 major league seasons who has spent the last five years with the same team gains the ability to reject any trade.
Over 87 games this season, Konerko has a .664 OPS and just nine home runs. Despite his down year, a team looking for hitting, like the Yankees or Rangers, may be interested in acquiring his bat for the stretch run.
