CHICAGO — The Houston Astros traded for veteran reliever Kendall Graveman on Friday, sending Triple-A catcher Korey Lee back to the Chicago White Sox in the deal.
Since Wednesday night, the White Sox have traded five pitchers — Graveman, Lucas Giolito (Angels), Reynaldo Lopez (Angels), Lance Lynn (Dodgers) and Joe Kelly (Dodgers).
Graveman, 32, has appeared in 45 games this season, compiling a 3.48 ERA while giving up 33 hits in 44 innings. He slots in as a setup man in the Houston bullpen, the same role he had with the Astros in the second half of 2021 before inking a deal with the White Sox.
“I hated to see Graveman leave the first time,” Astros manager Dusty Baker told reporters in Houston on Friday.
Graveman has one year remaining on a three-year, $24 million contract that he signed before the 2022 season.
Lee is hitting .283/.328/.406 with 18 doubles, five home runs, 32 RBIs, 37 runs scored and 12 stolen bases over 68 games this season with Triple-A Sugar Land in the Pacific Coast League. He currently is on the injured list with a strained right oblique.
Lee was selected by Houston with the No. 32 overall pick of the 2019 MLB draft out of the University of California, where he was a teammate of White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn.