Manitoba’s lone active major leaguer was on the move over the holidays.
The Chicago White Sox acquired Winkler’s Tristan Peters from the Tampa Bay Rays on Dec. 18 in a trade that sent a player to be named later or cash considerations back to Tampa Bay.
Winkler’s Tristan Peters was traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Chicago White Sox on Dec. 18 in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations
Peters, 25, is coming off the best season of his pro baseball career, appearing in his first four Major League Baseball games with the Rays during a mid-season call-up.
The remainder of his season was spent with the triple-A Durham Bulls, where he batted .266 with 15 home runs, 76 runs batted in and 11 stolen bases over 136 games.
He’ll now look to crack the majors again in 2026 with the White Sox, who are seeking their first winning record since the 2022 season.
“I feel really good — defensively, I feel great,” said Peters. “There’s always room for improvement, and I think I can improve on the defensive side, but I’ve got a really solid foundation and I feel very confident in my defence. With the bat, coming off the triple-A season, I feel great too. My swing was in a good spot for most of the season, but obviously there are some things to improve there. I want to have a little more power, and I’ve kind of found that this off-season, so I’m excited to get going in spring and see what happens. I think I can perform at the big-league level with the bat as well, so I’m feeling pretty confident right now.”
Before being traded, the Rays had designated Peters for assignment, removing him from their 40-man roster. The trade came just two days later, with White Sox assistant general manager Josh Barfield calling Peters to welcome him to the club.
Peters currently lives in Arizona, which aligns with White Sox spring training being held there starting in mid-February for Cactus League play.
With spring training right in his backyard, Peters plans to report ahead of the Feb. 14 date to ensure he’s prepared for what could be his biggest spring training to date.
“I’m super eager — I want to get back up there,” said Peters. “I wanted to the day after I got sent down to triple-A. Once you make it up and experience it, you’re like, ‘Wow, I really want to get back up and stay up.’ It’s a pretty fun experience, and the competition is super competitive up there. It’s a lot of fun.”
His inability to secure full-time playing time with the Rays last season was due in part to a logjam of depth, creating fewer opportunities for a new player to break through.
Now, with a team like the White Sox, Peters could see more opportunity as the club looks to become competitive for the first time in years.
If he doesn’t break camp with the big club, the backup plan would be playing for their triple-A affiliate, the Charlotte Knights.
The next few weeks will determine whether Peters starts the season in the majors or returns to triple-A to play his way back up.
