Tampa Bay Rays & White Sox Complete Trade

May 21, 2026 ,
Tampa Bay Rays Oliver Dunn rounds the bases during 2026 game.

The Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox completed a one-for-one swap, with the Rays sending left-handed pitcher Joe Rock to Chicago in exchange for infielder Oliver Dunn.

The deal was triggered in part by necessity on the Rays' side.

Infielder Ben Williamson had been dealing with a stiff back entering Tuesday's game against Baltimore, and after the Rays beat the Orioles 4-1, they moved Williamson to the 10-day injured list with a back strain and activated Dunn to fill the roster hole.

Rock heads to Triple-A Charlotte for the White Sox, who moved catcher Kyle Teel to the 60-day injured list to open the 40-man roster spot needed to complete the transaction.

What Both Teams Are Getting

Rock, 25, was a second-round pick by Colorado in 2021, who the Rays acquired in spring training 2024 in exchange for first-round pick Greg Jones.

He made his MLB debut last June with Tampa Bay, pitching 7.2 innings across three appearances with a 2.35 ERA and an impressive 11 strikeouts.

In 2026, the results at Triple-A Durham have been rough, carrying a 5.40 ERA in 13 appearances with 17 walks in 15 innings, a dramatic departure from his career minor league walk rate of 3.4 per nine.

The White Sox have struggled to find a reliable third left-hander behind Bryan Hudson and Sean Newcomb in their bullpen, and Rock's swing-and-miss upside is the reason Chicago made the call despite the ugly current numbers.

Dunn is a 28-year-old versatile defender who played in 55 games for the Brewers across 2024 and 2025, hitting .206 with one home run in 145 career big league plate appearances.

In Charlotte this season, he was an entirely different hitter, slashing .296 with nine home runs, 34 RBIs, and a .938 OPS in 41 games.

The problem was organizational depth.

With so many young players ahead of him on Chicago's depth chart and no realistic path to a big league role, the White Sox were willing to move him for a pitching upside play.

Photo Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Go To: NFL Rumors | NBA Rumors | NHL Rumors