The December Rule 5 Draft taking place during the MLB Winter Meetings is a time to take a chance on players. Last year, the New York Mets lost Mike Vasil to the Philadelphia Phillies. He was then traded to the Tampa Bay Rays and claimed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox where he’d spend the full season.
A 2.50 ERA in 101 innings coming mostly as a long man out of the bullpen, Vasil was perfect for his role on a non-contending team. It made sense for the White Sox, with nothing to lose but games, to give him every opportunity he had.