Sox trade Thome, Contreras

The White Sox traded Jim Thome to the Dodgers and Jose Contreras to the Rockies just before Monday's waiver trade deadline.

Sox general manager Ken Williams warned earlier this season that he would make changes if he was not happy with the team's production. The Sox fell four games below .500 after they lost to the Twins on Monday night, and Williams had seen enough.

Thome, 39, was in the final year of his contract with the Sox. He waived his no-trade clause for the trade, which ends his four-year run on the South Side with 134 home runs and 369 RBIs for the franchise. He was hitting .249 with 23 home runs and 74 RBIs in 107 games this season.

In return for Thome, the Sox acquired 24-year-old infielder Justin Fuller. He was listed as the best defensive player in the Dodgers' minor-league organization by Baseball America, and he was hitting .254 with four home runs and 17 RBIs in 56 games in Single-A this season.

Thome, who was one of the most popular players in the Sox clubhouse, is No. 12 all-time with 564 career home runs. His blast in last season's one-game playoff with Minnesota lifted the Sox to a division title and their first playoff appearance since 2005.

Contreras, 37, also was in the final season of his contract. He was 5-13 with a 5.42 ERA this season and 55-56 with a 4.66 ERA in six seasons on the South Side. He won Game 1 of the World Series against the Houston Astros and finished the 2005 postseason with a 3-1 record to help the Sox win their first championship since 1918.

In return for Contreras, the Sox acquired 24-year-old pitcher Brandon Hynick, who was 10-9 with a 3.83 ERA in 26 starts for Triple-A Colorado Springs. The 6-foot-3, 205 pound right-hander was named the Rockies' minor league player of the year in 2007 by Baseball America.

Teams needed to finalize trades by 11 p.m. Monday in order to have players eligible for their postseason rosters. The deals give Thome and Contreras a chance to return to the postseason, as the Dodgers lead the NL West and the Rockies lead the wild card race.

-Tom Musick