Reds, ChiSox agree to Griffey deal

Ken Griffey Jr. has approved a trade to the White Sox that sends baseball's newest member of the 600-HR Club back to the American League, where he starred with the Seattle Mariners in the 1990s. The Reds will get infiedler Danny Richar and pitcher Nick Masset from the White Sox in exchange.

As a 10-and-5 player (10 years in the majors and five with the same team), Griffey, who is hitting .245 with 15 home runs and 53 RBIs in 359 at-bats, had the right to reject the deal.

The Reds will pay the remainder of Griffey's $12 millions alary for this year, which comes to about $4 million.

Masset has pitched in 32 games for the White Sox this season, starting one. He is 1-0 with a 4.63 ERA. Richar is currently in the minor leagues.

White Sox general manager Ken Williams has long been an admirer of Griffey's and for years tried to acquire the 38-year-old outfielder, who hit his 600th home run in June. Griffey joins a White Sox team that leads the American League in home runs with 147.

Adding Griffey would appear to create a logjam of hitters and outfielders. Williams, a known dealmaker, could have another trade in mind to open a spot for Griffey.

If Williams keeps all the hitters, some rearranging would be necessary. One option is for Griffey to become the team's designated hitter with Jim Thome moving to first base to replace the struggling Paul Konerko. Another option would be to put Griffey in center field, move Nick Swisher to first base (where Swisher filled in for nearly a month when Konerko was on the disabled list earlier this season) and leave Thome as the DH.

In both those scenarios, Konerko would be the odd man out. He is batting .214 with nine home runs and 35 RBIs. Since the All-Star break, Konerko is 8-for-42 (.190) with one RBI.

The White Sox lead the Twins by 1½ games in the AL Central. The teams finish a four-game series Thursday night in Minnesota.

FoxSports.com first reported the trade.