Adam Dunn traded to Oakland

The White Sox traded Adam Dunn and $1.3 million to Oakland for minor league pitcher Nolan Sanburn, marking an end to a disastrous tenure with the White Sox that began with a 4 year, $56 million contract. The Athletics will pay the remaining $1 million owed to Dunn.

In 528 games with the White Sox, Dunn batted .201/.321/.410 with 106 home runs. Depending upon which WAR you prefer, he was worth -1.5 bWAR or -3.1 fWAR.

His negative value and low offensive numbers can largely be attributed to one of the worst seasons a baseball player has ever had. In the first year of his contract in 2011, Dunn batted .159/.292/.277. While he made a solid turnaround in 2012 and also posted respectable number his final two seasons, fans never forgave the big man for that first season.

Dunn marked his White Sox debut with a home run and, in what ended up being his final bow in game one yesterday, Dunn drove in what ended up being the game winning run with a 2-run home run.

Nolan Sanburn pitched in High A this year as a reliever. The 23 year old pitched 71.1 IP with a 3.28 ERA and an almost 3 to 1 K/BB ratio with 73 strike out's to just 25 walks.

In other moves, the White Sox optioned Chris Bassitt and Eric Surkamp to Charlotte, returned Moises Sierra from his rehab assignment and activated him from the DL, and purchased the contracts of LHP Scott Snodgress and 1B Andy Wilkins from Charlotte. Wilkins is in today's starting lineup.

Update. Baseball America on Sanburn:

The Athletics’ No. 11 prospect prior to the season, Sanburn has the potential to be one of the organization’s best pitching prospects, but hasn’t been healthy enough to show it much and was moved back to the bullpen this season after working as a starter in 2012 and part of 2013. A reliever at Arkansas, he signed as a draft-eligible sophomore in 2012 and has pitched only 120 1/3 innings since. When healthy, Sanburn has an electric fastball at 93-94 mph and can touch 96 with riding life. His curveball also shows impressive depth while coming in hard in the high 70s.

The White Sox also outrighted RHP Nestor Molina off the 40 man roster, opening up a spot for a September call-up.