RANGERS FILL RIGHT FIELD NEED WITH RIOS
The Texas Rangers acquired outfielder Alex Rios from the Chicago White Sox for a player to be named later.
What does it give the Texas Rangers
The 50-game PED suspension handed to {P Nelson Cruz} created a big hole for the Rangers in right field and in the middle of their lineup. While Rios isn't quite as powerful (and definitely not as consistent), he's a solid replacement for Cruz the rest of the regular season. Texas is still in the thick of the playoff hunt so adding a high-priced veteran such as Rios could pay off for them down the stretch. This is an expensive risk on a streaky player, but the Rangers are trying to win this year.
What does it give the Chicago White Sox
With the White Sox firmly out of the playoff race it makes perfect sense to ditch inconsistent Rios and his bloated 2014 salary. In Garcia, they get a very good glove-man who can play shortstop, second and third base if needed. While Garcia isn't a powerful batter he should eventually hit for a good average in the majors, and he has excellent speed. Perhaps more importantly, this move gives {P Avisail Garcia} (recently acquired from Detroit) a chance to play regularly in right field.
Fantasy impact
Moving Rios gave the White Sox the perfect excuse to call up right field prospect Garcia (whom was picked up from the Tigers in another recent trade, and whom has good potential. He should get a chance to replace Rios right away, so he's worth keeping an eye on in most fantasy formats). Rios gets a fantasy boost now that he's with the Rangers (although he remains risky because he's so inconsistent). The addition of Rios to the Texas lineup may mean fewer at-bats for rookie {P Engel Beltre}. As for Leury Garcia, he's now in the mix for a job in Chicago for 2014 but his fantasy value isn't very high (he's viewed more as a utility infielder at this point).
