Rusty Tucker posted a 5.31 ERA in 62 2/3 innings for the Double-A Mobile BayBears in 2005, his first full season back following Tommy John surgery in 2003.
"It's been a crazy couple of weeks," said Tucker. "I knew there was a chance I still could be a Padre which would have been great, but obviously to keep my roster spot and to be with the White Sox is pretty neat."
"You never want to lose a kid who's a left-hander and has a big arm," said Grady Fuson, the Padres' vice president of scouting and player development. "But that's the sort of thing you have to do to add a proven guy you want to bring in."
Tucker was originally taken by the Padres in the 21st round of the 2001 draft out of the University of Maine. A left-handed reliever, Tucker regularly hit the mid-90s with his fastball before the surgery. He was removed from the 40-man roster to make room for the addition of catcher Mike Piazza.