Chicago White Sox: Three trade packages for Kris Bryant
The Chicago White Sox don’t have a need for a third baseman but a certain Chicago Cubs star would still be a good fit for this team in a dream scenario.
The Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, and the rest of Major League Baseball are suspended right now. It might seem like a time where nothing can happen as far as the front office making moves but that isn’t true. While nothing is likely to happen, it is still fun to speculate what might get a trade done while we sit here waiting for baseball to come back.
The status of Kris Bryant and the Chicago Cubs has been in question all offseason. People think he was offered a contract but didn’t accept and there are people who aren’t sure he was ever offered one at all. There were also rumors of him being traded all over the place. The Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves each had heavy steam in the Bryant trade rumors.
Well, now here we are with Bryant still a member of the Cubs organization. So with that said? What hypothetical trade would get Kris Bryant to come to the Chicago White Sox? It is a pipe dream of course but in slow times like these as far as stories, it is fun to wonder what the White Sox would need to trade in order to get Bryant.
These two teams have made a pretty big trade already over the past few seasons. The White Sox sent Jose Quintana to the Cubs in a big trade that sent Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease back to the Sox. The Cubs aren’t looking to make any more trades like that right now but these are three dream packages that might get the trade done between these two teams involving Bryant:
Trade 1
The Chicago White Sox have a lot of high-quality prospects. One of them is Nick Madrigal. He figures to be the second baseman of the future now that Yoan Moncada has made the move over to the third base position. If Madrigal went to the Cubs for Bryant, Moncada could go back to second in place of him and Bryant can take over at the third base spot. They can also use Leury Garcia at second base, keep Moncada at third, and use Bryant in the right field.
The possibilities with the White Sox lineup would be endless if they added a player like Bryant. Them moving Dane Dunning in this package is also significant. He is a highly regarded pitching prospect that if not traded, figures to be a member of the White Sox someday. The Cubs pitching is starting to run thin so adding a good prospect like Dunning would certainly be something they are looking for in a Bryant trade.
Zack Collins would be the perfect candidate to go to the Cubs and backup Wilson Contreras. There isn’t much room for Collins on the White Sox right now with Yasmani Grandal and James McCann in the mix. There is also Yermin Mercedes and Seby Zavala there in case there was an injury to one of McCann or Grandal. This trade would be sending three really good players to the Cubs for the White Sox to have a chance at Bryant.
Trade 2
The Chicago White Sox are hoping that one day, Andrew Vaughn is a stud power hitter in the middle of their lineup. He can mash home runs and take full advantage of the opportunities he is going to be given. With that said, if they have the opportunity to trade Vaughn someday for an elite player they just might. You see it all the time across baseball. Teams often trade top prospects like Vaughn for starters or one more big bat before going on a run.
Jonathan Stiever is an up and coming pitcher in the White Sox system. He is currently their number five prospect right now but they have a lot of great pitching prospects. They also have some arms in the rotation right now that don’t figure to be going anywhere any time soon. Stiever would be a good addition to the Cubs Minor League system. He is only 22 years old so he might be fitting if the Cubs are looking to restock their cupboard of prospects.
Micker Adolfo is a 23-year-old right-fielder and designated hitter. The Cubs might be looking for a guy who can join their prospect field of players looking to be MLB players one day. He has been slowly progressing through the ranks throughout his career but he might never get the opportunity with the White Sox. His chance might not come until he is a part of a new organization. This would be the type of trade where the White Sox get a star for one very highly touted prospect and two mid-level prospects.
Trade 3
The previous two trade proposals involved one incredible prospect to offer and then some mid-level prospects to go with him. This one is a little bit different. There is not a truly high-end prospect here but they are all above average plus one MLB ready player. Leury Garcia is the one MLB ready player full time. He will be in the White Sox lineup a bunch this season if he isn’t ever traded. He would help the Cubs in the sense that he can play every position.
You already know about Zack Collins and Micker Adolfo. Collins likely doesn’t have a long term future with the White Sox unless they move on from McCann after this season and Adolfo might be a guy who is on the block for MLB level talent over the next season or two. These are guys who can be great players but depth in the organization might make them expendable.
Luis Alexander Basabe is the other member of this trade proposal. He is a prospect that the White Sox sees playing for them someday but you never truly know with one like him. He would be worth moving, however, if they see an opportunity to add a star like Bryant.
Related Story. Can the White Sox still go after Nolan Arenado?. light
Obviously, a trade like this is almost guaranteed not to happen. It would be fun, however, to see the White Sox add another superstar from the Cubs organization. People don’t like to admit it but these two teams are rivals despite not even playing in the same league. In times like these with no baseball, it is fun to talk hypotheticals nonetheless.