White Sox Purchase Contract of Frank Francisco; Designate Cleto for Assignment
CHICAGO - Prior to tonight's game vs. Arizona, the Chicago White Sox purchased the contract of right-hander Frank Francisco from Class AAA Charlotte and designated right-handed pitcher Maikel Cleto for assignment.
Francisco, 34, is 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA (8.0 IP), one save and 12 strikeouts in six relief appearances with Charlotte this season after signing with the White Sox as a minor-league free agent on April 14. His last five outings have been scoreless (7.0 IP) after allowing an unearned run in his season debut. He is limiting opponents to a .154 average (4-26).
Francisco, a native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, is 20-22 with a 3.93 ERA (167 ER/382.2 IP), 73 saves, 67 holds and 421 strikeouts in 387 appearances (all in relief) over nine major-league seasons with Texas (2004, 2006-10), Toronto (2011) and the New York Mets (2012-13).
The 6-foot-2, 245-pound Francisco has averaged 9.90 strikeouts per 9.0 IP in his career, including a career-best 11.79 mark (83 SO/63.1 IP) with Texas in 2008. He has limited opponents to a .233 average (337-1,449) during his career, including a .231 mark (175-759) vs. right-handers.
Francisco will wear uniform No. 43.
He originally was signed by Boston as a non-drafted free agent on December 15, 1996 and was acquired by the White Sox in a trade with the Red Sox on July 31, 2002. He was traded to Texas in a deal involving Carl Everett on July 1, 2003.
Cleto, 25, has gone 0-0 with a 5.14 ERA (8 ER/14.0 IP) and 10 strikeouts in 13 relief appearances with the White Sox this season, allowing 12 hits and 15 walks. He was claimed off waivers from Kansas City on February 26.