White Sox decline Alexei Ramirez's $10 million option

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The White Sox dropped some rather surprising news on Wednesday, announcing they have declined the $10 million option on shortstop Alexei Ramirez, making him a free agent.

The reason this comes as a surprise despite Ramirez's moribund 2015 season is, well, as James pointed out Tuesday, who else could the White Sox play at shortstop in 2016? Unless the team is confident giving Tyler Saladino and his extremely iffy bat a shot for the entirety of the season, or they have something up their sleeves in the form of a trade, failing to bring back Ramirez creates another hole on a roster full of them, regardless of what you think of his chances to rebound in 2016.

Of course, as Dan Hayes and others have been quick to point out, Wednesday's move doesn't necessarily mean the White Sox are ready to move on from Ramirez. Free agency doesn't begin until Saturday, and it's entirely possible a different deal could be made that keeps Ramirez in a White Sox uniform for 2016.

In one other small piece of news, the White Sox announced they have purchased the contract of LHP Zach Phillips from Triple-A Charlotte. Phillips is a potential bullpen piece down the road who needed to be put on the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule-5 Draft.