White Sox trade Houser to the Tampa Bay Rays

CHICAGO (WGN) — The Chicago White Sox sent a resurgent starting pitcher to the Tampa Bay Rays just before the Major League Baseball trade deadline came to pass Thursday.

According to a press release from the team, the White Sox traded Adrian Houser to the Rays. Curtis Mead and two minor league right-handed pitchers—Duncan Davitt and Ben peoples—will head to Chicago in exchange for Houser.

Mead is in his third season bouncing back and forth between Tampa Bay and their Triple-A affiliate, the Durham Bulls.

In 49 games played at third, second and first base, Mead has posted a slash line of .226/.318/.339 with 3 home runs and 8 RBI this season. In 50 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers, Mead has hit .267/.340/.467 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI.

Mead, a native of Adelaide, Australia, entered the 2024 baseball season as the No. 55 overall prospect in baseball. In 2023, he was the No. 33 overall prospect. In 2022, he was a member of the American League roster at the 2022 All-Star Futures Game.

Davitt, 25, is 5-5 with a 4.08 ERA and 105 strikeouts over 19 starts and 103.2 innings pitched between Durham and Class AA Montgomery this season. He went 5-3 with a 3.55 ERA and 81 strikeouts over 15 starts and 83.2 IP with Montgomery before being promoted to Durham on July 4.

Peoples, 24, is 2-2 with a 2.65 ERA, .189 opponents average and 39 strikeouts over 25 relief appearances in 37.1 IP with Durham. He went 2-0 with a 0.84 ERA, .118 opponents average, and 0.84 WHIP over eight relief outings in 10.2 IP across July.

After Houser was released from his contract by the Texas Rangers earlier this season, the White Sox brought him in as a buy-low, hope-to-sell-high option to bolster their starting rotation in mid-May.

Since joining the South Siders, Houser has posted a 6-2 record, 2.10 ERA and a 3.0 WAR in 11 starts and 68.2 innings pitched.

The MLB trade deadline came and passed at 5 p.m. CT today.