White Sox trade Sergio Santos to Blue Jays

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KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 18: Sergio Santos #46 of the Chicago White Sox throws in the ninth inning during a game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on September 18, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri. The White Sox won 10-5. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) R:\Merlin\Getty_Photos\125592326.jpg

Updated: December 6, 2011 2:16PM

DALLAS — Using the “rebuilding” word for the first time during his 12-year tenure as White Sox general manager, Ken Williams traded closer Sergio Santos to the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday for highly-regarded Blue Jays prospect Nestor Molina, a 22-year-old right-handed pitcher.

Molina, 22, combined to go 12-3 with a 2.21 ERA over 130 innings between the Class A and AA levels. He walked only 18 while striking out 148 strikeouts in 26 games (23 starts) last season between Class A Dunedin and Class AA New Haven. In his first full season as a starter, he averaged 10.2 strikeouts per 9.0 IP with an 8.2 strikeout-to-walk ratio, held opponents to a .234 (114-488) average and allowed three earned runs or less in 20 of his 23 starts.

“He has a 90-96 mph fastball that bores in on right-hand hitters, keeps the ball down, can hit outside corner, inside corner, take it upstairs if he needs to — he has a swing-and-miss type splitter that drops off the table, a plus slider and an equally effective changeup,’’ Williams said.

“We are very happy that we were able to acquire him. I did not anticipate that it would take Sergio to do it. I was thinking it would take starting pitching but the opportunity to present itself.’’

Williams indicated that his relief pitching depth with Matt Thornton, Jesse Crain and others allowed him to make the deal.

Williams said he hasn’t been satisfied with what he’s been offered for starters John Danks and Gavin Floyd and suggested he might not trade them. He qualified that by saying “as of today.”

Molina could, because of his command, make the Sox rotation in 2012, although he said he would prefer to bring him along slowly.

Molina is 27-7 with a 2.21 ERA and 277 strikeouts in 103 games and 294 innings (27 starts) over six seasons in the Blue Jays minor-league system.

Santos, 28, went 4-5 with a 3.55 ERA, 30 saves and 92 strikeouts in 63 relief appearances with the White Sox in 2011.