Levine: Toronto Has Eyes On Jeff Samardzija
By Bruce Levine--
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The inevitable is beginning to happen at U.S. Cellular Field.
Although the White Sox haven't officially put their players on the trade market, the buzzards have begun to fly around the team's veteran players. With a team of players with good track records, teams will ignore some of the poor numbers and pursue White Sox underachievers who improve between now and the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
Right-hander Jeff Samardzija will go to the front of the class for clubs looking for the quality rotation additions for the final two months. He'll become a free agent in November. The White Sox were gung-ho trying to sign Samardzija even before they had traded for him last December. That ship has apparently sailed due to the team's poor play, which has them double-digit games behind Kansas City in the AL Central.
The 30-year-old Samardzija has been up and down this season with a 4.67 ERA but appears to have reverted back to form. He arguably had his best control and action on his pitches so far this season on Thursday evening. In the final season under contract, he is making $9.8 million. He was traded by the Cubs to the Athletics last Fourth of July and then to the White Sox last winter.
The Toronto Blue Jays had two of their top scouts in attendance for Samardzija's Thursday start. Toronto was one of the teams in pursuit of him last summer before he was dealt to Oakland.
Houston and the New York Yankees will be in the market for Samardzija as well, according to major league sources. That, of course, will only be true if and when the White Sox begin entertaining offers for their players.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.