White Sox Acquire Everett Again

Carl Everett rejoined the Chicago White Sox on Sunday when the switch-hitting outfielder was traded from the Montreal Expos for minor league pitchers Jon Rauch and Gary Majewski.

With first baseman/designated hitter Frank Thomas on the disabled list and right fielder Magglio Ordonez slowed by a sore knee, the White Sox were looking for a versatile player with some power. When healthy, Everett can provide that.

“He will help on offense and make the lineup stronger,” White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen said in Oakland before his team played the Athletics. “Without Frank we need a guy like him.”

The White Sox also receive about $800,000 as part of the deal. Everett is expected to join the White Sox in time for tonight’s game at Texas.

The 33-year-old Everett played the final 73 games of last season for the White Sox. He batted .301 with 10 home runs and 41 runs batted in. The two-time All-Star signed a $7.5-million, two-year contract with Montreal in December.

This season, the injury-plagued Everett has a .252 average, with two homers and 14 RBIs in 39 games. He sat out 30 games because of an injured shoulder.

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Mark Prior of the Chicago Cubs tested his elbow in a 10-minute pregame bullpen session and emerged relatively pain free.

Prior, forced out of his start Thursday when he felt discomfort in the elbow in the second inning, was originally scheduled to pitch Tuesday against St. Louis.

The Cubs won’t determine Prior’s status until today to see how he responds from the workout.

“He let it go pretty good today and it was good to see him be able to do that and not have it barking at him at all. We’ll see how he is tomorrow and go from there,” pitching coach Larry Rothschild said.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates probably will demand a major league-ready position player and a top prospect for ace right-hander Kris Benson, who is expected to be traded before the July 31 deadline.

If the Arizona Diamondbacks don’t deal Randy Johnson -- and they have yet to ask him to waive his no-trade clause -- Benson could be the most desirable starting pitcher available before the deadline for making trades without putting players through waivers.

Benson (7-7, 4.26 earned-run average) is injury-free for the first time since 2000.

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The Baltimore Orioles activated third baseman Melvin Mora from the 15-day disabled list and optioned infielder Jose Leon to triple-A Ottawa.

Mora strained his right hamstring July 2 at Philadelphia. He was batting .347 in 66 games when he went on the disabled list three days later. Leon appeared in 16 games, batting .133 with three RBIs.