SAN DIEGO — The White Sox made progress at the winter meetings, general manager Rick Hahn said before departing the Grand Hyatt Hotel on the final day Thursday.
It wasn’t big, but they did acquire a right fielder in 24-year-old Nomar Mazara for outfield prospect Steele Walker Tuesday night. The Sox are banking on Mazara’s upside to pan out in a low-risk move that checked off one need, and Hahn said more moves are on the way.
“There’s going to be moves over the next couple weeks,” Hahn said, “that hopefully will line up sooner rather than later.”
Pitching is the top priority, starting with the starting rotation, where Hahn has said the Sox want to add at least one piece.
“We made progress on a handful of fronts,’’ Hahn said of his discussions. “The pitching need is the one that’s most prominent right now. We’ve had productive conversations with agents and with other teams about potential trade fits, and we’ll just have to see how quickly we’re able to come to a meeting of the minds there.”
The Sox came to the meetings having signed catcher Yasmani Grandal to a four-year, $73 million contract in November.
“I know we are better today than we were at the start of the offseason,” Hahn said. “And I suspect by the time we get to spring training, we’re going to be better than we are today.
Sox pass in Rule 5
“No one jumped out” at the Sox in the major league phase of the Rule 5 Draft Thursday. The Sox, who selected right-hander Dylan Covey (2016) and catcher Adrian Nieto (2013) in the past, passed in the major league phase.
“We talked about a couple guys, they just didn’t jump off the page,” Hahn said. “No scouts pounded the table on any of the guys that were available.”
In the minor league phase, the Sox added right-hander Will Carter from the Yankees’ Class AAA affiliate. No Sox players were claimed in either phase, and their 40-man roster remains at 38.
Farewell to Rosey
Long-time official scorer Bob Rosenberg will not return to his scorekeeping duties at Sox and Cubs home games. The decision was made by Major League Baseball. Rosenberg continues in his role as official scorekeeper for Bulls home games.
