White Sox Make Second Splash Trade of the Day, Acquire Seven-Year Veteran

After acquiring Tommy Pham earlier, the White Sox have acquired another outfielder.

Sep 21, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Colorado Rockies outfielder Jake Cave (11) celebrates with teammates after scoring a run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

After acquiring outfielder Tommy Pham in a trade well after the trade deadline on Monday, the Chicago White Sox have made another deal. According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa Bay Rays have traded outfielder Jake Cave to the White Sox in exchange for cash considerations.

Like Pham, Cave can be acquired because he was not on a 40-man roster and was on a minor-league deal. Since he was acquired before September 1, he is also postseason eligible. Unlike Pham, however, he is likely going to be minor-league depth.

It seems the White Sox are loading up on outfield depth prior to the postseason.

Who is Jake Cave and Why Did the White Sox Snag Him?

Oct 20, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pinch hitter Jake Cave against the Arizona Diamondbacks in game four of the NLCS for the 2023 MLB playoffs at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The New York Yankees selected Jake Cave in the sixth round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of high school. The Yankees traded Cave in 2018 to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for pitching prospect Luis Gil, who would end up winning the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year. That year, Cave would make his debut for Minnesota. In 91 games, Cave slashed .265/.313/.473 with 13 home runs.

That would end up being his best season with the Twins, as his playing time steadily declined due to injuries and inconsistency. He was let go by Minnesota in 2022. In 2023, he played a minor part in the Philadelphia Phillies' run to the NLCS, where they eventually lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks. In that playoff run, Cave was 1-for-3 with a double. Cave was also the final out of that Game 7 that gave Arizona their second pennant.

He would spend 2024 with the Colorado Rockies, which would end up being his last season in the majors. In 123 games, Cave slashed .251/.290/.396 with seven home runs. He spent 2025 in the KBO with an .814 OPS and has been between the Mexican League and the Rays' minor league organization this season. With the Rays in Triple-A, he has a .711 OPS.

Cave can play all three outfield positions, but it was likely a depth acquisition for the White Sox as we get closer to the playoffs. He will likely spend the rest of the season in Triple-A and be the first line of defense if someone on the major league roster gets injured. Junior Pérez and Rikuu Nishida were other options in Charlotte.

Either way, a 33-year-old outfielder is unlikely to disrupt what the White Sox have in the majors, especially since they already acquired Pham earlier.