Alex Rios has been traded to Texas

A report from Chicago indicates that Alex Rios has been traded to the Texas Rangers from the Chicago White Sox.

Updates will be made as more information becomes available.

UPDATE -- Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago says that the Rangers have traded Leury Garcia to the ChiSox for Rios.

UPDATE II -- Hayes now says it is a "player to be named later or cash."  Although Garcia may be the player to be later, since, if he hasn't cleared waivers yet, he can't be sent to Chicago in this deal unless Chicago claims him or he clears waivers.  If Houston, the one team ahead of the ChiSox in the waiver priority, were to claim Garcia, he'd have to be sent to Chicago after the season ends as the PTBNL.

Rios, 32, is hitting .277/.328/.421 on the season for Chicago, after putting up a .304/.334/.516 line in 2012, and a .227/.265/.348 line in 2011.  Rios is under contract for next season at $13M (the $12.5M original amount plus a $500K increase as a result of being traded), and has a $14M club option for 2015 with a $1M buyout.

Rios is a slightly-below-average to slightly-above-average corner outfielder who will be looked upon to replace Nelson Cruz in the starting lineup.  While Rios could play left field, right field or DH, depending on the alignment and who else is in the lineup, I expect Rios to be a starter the rest of the way, rather than being platooned.

UPDATE III -- John Blake just tweeted that the Rangers got Rios and cash considerations for a player to be named later or cash.  I'm going to assume for now that the player is Leury Garcia, and the ChiSox kicked in a little bit of cash to get Texas to part with Garcia.

UPDATE IV -- The ChiSox kicked in $1M in the deal, apparently.

UPDATE V -- T.R. Sullivan writes that Leury Garcia is the PTBNL going to Chicago.