The Chicago White Sox are probably considered buyers at the 2020 MLB trade deadline.
The Chicago White Sox look like they are going to be over .500 for the first time since 2012. Does that mean they are going to be trade deadline buyers? Anything can happen but even just a few days before the trade deadline, it is hard to gauge who is going to buy and who is going to sell. You also have to wonder if the circumstances of the year 2020 are going to make teams less inclined to make trades.
Teams have lost a lot of money because of the fact that they are only playing 60 games, can’t sell tickets, and have no income due to no “in-game experience”. There is also a fear that a COVID-19 outbreak could alter any given team’s season. If the White Sox had five key players test positive, their season can go down the tube really quickly. That might make them less likely to make a big splash at this deadline and wait until the offseason.
With that said, you can also look at it from another angle. The White Sox are absolutely good enough to make it to the playoffs and they could be a player or two away from being a World Series contender. Rick Hahn, Kenny Williams, and Rick Renteria might see that and think that it is a good idea to make a big trade. There are some big arms that are “on the block” that they could look at to round out their rotation or they could look to add another big bat. Either of those things would improve their chances.
There is a team in the White Sox own division called the Cleveland Indians and they have a wealth of pitching that they could look to move for a quality outfielder. Could the White Sox make an inter-division trade with them so each team can get something they need? In 2020, you can’t think anything is impossible.
With the short season and expanded playoffs, 20 out of the 30 teams have a realistic chance to make the postseason going into the weekend. A good week for the first few teams on the outside looking in could put them comfortably in a playoff spot. The White Sox are probably going to the playoffs so adding something to put them over the edge would really go a long way. This is a fun deadline to pay attention to for that reason, we just don’t necessarily have a good grasp on who is available and who might be willing to sell.