The Blue Jays' Alex Rios, who has underperformed for much of this season, is set to earn $9.7 million US in 2010. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)Alex Rios isn't putting a lot of stock into reports that an unidentified team has claimed him off waivers and could trade for the Toronto Blue Jays right-fielder.
He had little to say on the topic prior to Saturday afternoon's game against the visiting Baltimore Orioles, but he did share his feelings on where he would be calling home for the rest of the season.
"I guess I can't do anything if I get traded, and I'm going to have to go to wherever I get traded to. But that, at this point, I'm thinking that I'm staying here. That's the way I have to think about it," Rios told reporters.
"I've heard that most of the players go through waivers after the [trade] deadline is over. I guess it's a normal process."
It's a usual procedure once the July 31 non-waiver deadline passes for teams to try to clear as many of their players as possible through waivers in case trade opportunities arise. It's also a way for teams to determine whether there is interest in their players and to determine whether there is a chance for a trade later.
The Blue Jays have three options when it comes to Rios. They could:
- Work out a trade with the team that claimed Rios.
- Pull him back from waivers, and keep him for themselves the rest of the season.
- Simply allow the interested team to take him at no cost.
Major league sources suggested to ESPN.com late Friday night that the Chicago White Sox are most likely the team that claimed Rios, who entered play Saturday with a .261 batting average in 106 games this season with 13 home runs, 60 runs batted in and a team-leading 19 stolen bases.
Rios's salary is $5.9 million US this season, and soars to $9.7 million in 2010, $12 million in 2011, $12 million in 2012, $12.5 million in 2013, and $12.5 million in 2014. There is a club option of $13.5 million for 2015, with a $1-million buyout.
Rios said no one from the Blue Jays has talked to him about the reports. But he has been mentioned in trade rumours before.
"Sometimes it gets old at some point, but it's baseball and there's nothing you can do about it," the outfielder said. "You just have to not listen to them and go ahead keep going with what you're doing."
On Friday, Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said little about the reports.
"We're not going to comment on the waiver wires," he said. "It's unfortunate that anybody puts anything out there because it's supposed to be confidential. But in this case all I'll tell you is that everybody gets put through waivers. It's a normal process, every team does it. But we're not going to comment who was claimed or who wasn't claimed."
With files from The Canadian Press
