The White Sox made a pair of roster moves, claiming infielder Graham Pauley off waivers from the Marlins while also outrighting left-hander Ky Bush and outfielder Junior Pérez to Triple-A Charlotte.
Pauley gives Chicago a new infield option, though his hold on a roster spot could be shaky. He’s 26, originally came up in the Padres system, and was part of the 2024 deadline deal that sent Tanner Scott and Bryan Hoeing to San Diego.
He’s already had looks in the majors with both San Diego and Miami, but the bat hasn’t taken off yet. Across 370 plate appearances, he has hit .209/.272/.364.
What keeps him interesting is the glove. Pauley has logged nearly 800 innings at third base and has drawn positive marks from Defensive Runs Saved, Outs Above Average and Fielding Run Value.
He’s also seen brief action at first base, second base and in center field, so there’s some real versatility there. At Triple-A over the last two seasons, he’s hit .248/.336/.470 with a 114 wRC+, which leaves open the possibility that more offense could still show up if he gets another chance.
That matters for the White Sox because third base is already occupied by Miguel Vargas, a bat-first player who hit 33 homers in 2026 but graded poorly defensively. Munetaka Murakami is at first base, which could leave Pauley as a possible fit at third if Chicago wants stronger defense there in 2027.
He could also wind up in a bench role, and there’s even a path where Vargas and Murakami share designated hitter duties. Then again, Pauley may not stick at all; the Sox could try to pass him through waivers later in the offseason and keep him as non-roster depth.
Bush, who turns 27 this month, was once a notable prospect after the Angels took him in the second round of the 2021 draft. He later went to Chicago in the 2023 deadline trade that sent Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López to Anaheim.
He pitched in four games for the Sox in 2024, but Tommy John surgery cost him the 2025 and 2026 seasons. He was trying to come back during the 2026 campaign before a lat strain shut him down in September.
Even with options left, he went unclaimed on waivers, and now his focus shifts to getting healthy and back on track in 2027.
Pérez, 25, arrived from the Athletics in a DFA trade in May after Oakland gave him a roster spot following an encouraging 2025 season. He had long battled strikeout issues in the minors, often running rates in the 30-40% range, but he trimmed that to 28.1% while hitting 26 home runs and stealing 27 bases.
The swing-and-miss came back in 2026, though, as he posted a 35.4% strikeout rate in the minors and a 38.9% mark in his brief big league debut. He’ll need to get the punchouts under control if he wants another shot at a roster spot down the line.
In Other News...
Marlins 40-Man Shakeup Shows Who Miami Is Moving On From
The Marlins spent part of the roster churn season trimming and reshaping their 40-man picture, placing infielder Graham Pauley, right-hander Josh White and left-hander Patrick Monteverde on outright waivers. Miami also reinstated Ronny Henriquez, William Kempner, Adam Mazur, Andrew Nardi and Robby Snelling from the 60-day injured list, a move that brought the clubs 40-man roster down to 36 players and underscored how much room the front office still has to work with.
Pauley and White did not make it through the process, while Monteverde cleared waivers and was sent to Triple-A Jacksonville, leaving Miami with a clearer sense of which depth pieces it is prepared to keep and which ones are already on the fringe. The shakeup also came with one fresh addition to the roster mix, a reminder that the Marlins are still actively sorting through the edges of the organization as they piece together their next look. [Read more 🡒]
Marlins Roster Shuffle Puts More Pressure On Their Injury-Rehab Arms
The Marlins spent part of their roster churn this week trying to protect pitching depth while also sorting through the ripple effects of a thin infield picture. Graham Pauley is gone after a disappointing 62-game season and no remaining minor-league options, and Miami answered by bringing in right-handers Cameron Weston from the Mets and Josh White from its protected list as it continues to juggle bodies for the long haul.
What makes the moves more interesting is how closely they tie into the clubs rehab calendar. Several arms coming back from elbow surgeries are expected to re-enter the mix at different points next season, and Henriquez is viewed as a Spring Training possibility, which gives Miami some hope of reinforcement if the recovery paths stay on track. For a team trying to stock enough pitching to survive the year, every roster decision now has to account for both immediate depth and the uncertain timing of those returns. [Read more 🡒]
Marlins Make Early Bet On A High-Profile Prospect With Big Upside
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Robinson Cano Jr. is the name attached to the deal, though nothing can be made official yet under MLB rules. For Miami, the intrigue is obvious: a potential addition to its next wave of talent, and one that carries plenty of attention before he is even eligible to sign. [Read more 🡒]