The Chicago White Sox have been quite the surprise so far this season. After finishing last season with a 60-102 record, the White Sox are currently at the top of the American League Central with a 36-31 record. The White Sox have also won six out of their last 10 games, so they are still not showing real signs of slowing down.
With how well the White Sox are playing this season, they are setting themselves up to be potential buyers at the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline. If they want to make the playoffs this year, they would be wise to make some upgrades to their roster. This is especially so when noting that the American League wild card race is incredibly tight at this point in the season.
When looking at this year's likely sellers, the New York Mets stand out as an interesting potential trading partner for the White Sox. After a big offseason of spending, the Mets have an underwhelming 29-37 record. If they do not improve, they may be forced to trade away some of their players by the deadline.
If the Mets do end up being sellers, the White Sox should consider pursuing star pitcher Freddy Peralta and utility player Brett Baty. They both would have the potential to be strong additions to the White Sox's roster.
Why the White Sox should consider pursuing both Peralta & Baty from the Mets
With the Mets struggling this year, Peralta has been a very popular name in the rumor mill. It is not difficult to understand why, as the 30-year-old righty is a pending free agent and is a player the Mets can't afford to lose for nothing this winter if they are not a playoff team. Because of this, the White Sox should consider kicking tires on him.
If the White Sox brought in Peralta, they would be adding a star pitcher to their roster as they continue their playoff push. Bringing in Peralta would also be a great way for management to reward the White Sox's players for their strong season thus far. It is hard to find too many better pitcher trade candidates than Peralta right now.
In 14 appearances this season with the Mets, Peralta has a 4-5 record, a 4.04 ERA, and 79 strikeouts. This is after the two-time All-Star had a 17-6 record and a 2.70 ERA in 33 games last season for the Milwaukee Brewers. His track record speaks for itself, so there will likely be a large number of teams in pursuit of Peralta. He's a rental, but he's been open to a long-term deal with the Mets, so he could feel the same way about whichever team he's traded to.
As for Baty, the White Sox would be bringing in a promising young utility player who with good upside. The 2019 first-round pick is still looking to break out and blossom into an All-Star, but he has had trouble doing so with the Mets. Perhaps getting a fresh start on a team like the White Sox could help him take that next step. Baty is primarily an infielder, but he's played some outfield this season and his positional versatility could be a valuable trait for the White Sox.
Brett Baty slugs a 3-run homer 🍎 pic.twitter.com/zYHm7xET5D
— MLB (@MLB) April 23, 2026
In 62 games this season with the Mets, Baty has three home runs, 25 RBI, and a .231 batting average. This is after he set career highs with 18 home runs, 50 RBI, 100 hits, and a .254 batting average in 130 games last season for New York. Overall, he has shown promise, and he would be a fascinating player for the White Sox to add to their roster as they build for the future.
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