While we waited for the Chicago White Sox to contend again, Todd Frazier was a third baseman for the White Sox from 2016-2017. He is now on the Rangers
In a frantic last-second attempt to contend before being forced to tear it all down, the Chicago White Sox were involved in a blockbuster three-team trade with the Dodgers and the Reds that sent Todd Frazier to the South Side.
The trade as explained in the third piece in this series regarding Trayce Thompson, the White Sox came away with, at the time, a top ten third-baseman who just won the Home Run Derby the year prior.
So it is April 2016. The Chicago White Sox have Chris Sale and José Quintana at the top of the rotation. David Robertson was the closer of the pitching staff and was still at the top of his game. Melky Cabrera was in the middle of his prime, Adam Eaton was at the top of the lineup, still the strong-armed Gold Glove potential fielder who was born to hit leadoff as he is today and José Abreu was doing what he does best.
Throwing a proven veteran who already earned two All-Star spots and again won the derby into the mix seemed to be the last key the team needed.
But as we all know, not everything goes according to plan.
Despite Frazier hitting 40 home runs, the Sox finished in fourth that year going 78-84. His average was low, but he was never seen as a player to hit for average. After the season, many were calling for the replacement of Robin Ventura as manager. He would actually resign in the off-season promoting the hiring of current manager Rick Renteria.
So it is 2017, the team’s two best players were just traded away for big-name prospects. The team is not expected to win more than 70 games, the rebuild has officially begun and Frazier is expected to be used as a trade piece. Having a player of that caliber in a contract year on a team that is rebuilding does not make sense.
So on July 18, 2017, the White Sox sent Frazier, Robertson and at the time the team’s best reliever Tommy Kahnle to the Yankees for prospects Blake Rutherford, Ian Clarkin, Tito Polo and reliever Tyler Clippard.
After the season ended, the Yankees did not resign Frazier and he entered free agency. He then took a subway trip from the Bronx to Queens after his 2 year deal with the Mets. After two solid years with the Mets, he was not brought back.
Frazier signed a deal with Texas this off-season and will begin his 2020 season as a Ranger.
According to Baseball-Reference, the 34-year-old is projected to hit a slash of .229/.321/.424 with 21 home runs and 64 RBIs.
As a 34-year-old, those are pretty good numbers, but just not what the Chicago White Sox need right now. Those numbers will significantly help the Rangers. The state the Rangers are in, they need those stats. The state the White Sox are in or are ready to move into, those stats just are not enough.