Chicago White Sox: 3 all-time great trades in franchise history

The 2021 Major League Baseball trade deadline is fast approaching and so far, the Chicago White Sox have not been participants in any big trades. That’s not to say that they aren’t planning to grab someone before the deadline but so far, they are silent. This is even though they have had so many injuries. They have not made a trade with other teams to help bolster their lineup yet but they just might.

However, in the recent past, the White Sox have put together some fantastic trades. These trades have led to team success and one of them helped lead to the 2005 World Series victory.

Making effective trades in Major League Baseball is an art and those that do it well have a lot of success. The White Sox have had their struggles but have hit it big on a few of their trades. Most recently, there are three that have made the team better.

The anatomy of a great trade is simple. Have something someone wants that has something you want, make it as fair as possible (although that doesn’t always happen) and then execute the trade. That’s the path to success. Not everyone succeeds but everyone tries.

The Chicago White Sox have made some very successful trades over the years.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the three best trades the White Sox have made in more recent history. We won’t stretch too far back and you should remember the three trades that are being presented. Who was involved? What kind of impact did it have on the team and what was the end result? Let’s find out.

The trade that landed the Chicago White Sox Paul Konerko changed the franchise forever.

There is no doubt about it, a huge part of the puzzle for the 2005 World Series run came when Paul Konerko arrived in Chicago. The first baseman arrived in Chicago via a trade with the Cincinnati Reds. Ironically, it was the second time he had been traded that year. The trade took place on November 11th, 1998 and it set the stage for the early beginnings of a championship run.

In exchange for Konerko, the White Sox gave up outfielder Mike Cameron. Cameron went on to become somewhat of a baseball “drifter” and ended up playing for several teams following the trade. He just never stuck anywhere for that long of a time. He did have a long career, however. The White Sox clearly got the better end of the deal.

Konerko’s career skyrocketed once he settled in with the White Sox. Over the course of his White Sox career, he played a total of 2,268 games and earned himself a few White Sox records. One of the most impressive stats that Konerko earned was that he hit a total of 81 home runs between 2004 and 2005. That is still a franchise record. His slash line, during his career in Chicago, was .281/.356/.491.

Beyond the statistics that he put up, Konerko had a very important role with the Sox during his time with them. He was a leader and he helped lead them to their World Championship in 2005. His leadership value during that time cannot be diminished. He is also the last captain of the White Sox.

Konerko he won’t be remembered for his stolen bases as he only had nine over the span of his career but there are plenty of other things that Paulie did during his time in Chicago. He was one of their best players and will always be remembered by White Sox fans.

The trade the Chicago White Sox made involving Chris Sale started a great rebuild.

Reaching back to 2016, the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox completed a trade that continues to pay strong dividends. On December 6, 2016, the White Sox sent ace pitcher Chris Sale to the Red Sox in exchange for four prospects. These four prospects were right-handed pitcher Michael Kopech, third baseman Yoan Moncada, right handed pitcher Victor Diaz, and outfielder Luis Alexander-Basabe.

It took a lot of nerve to give up one of the White Sox’s best players but the players that they got in return, providing they can stay healthy and remain in the lineup, may be equal to or greater than what they lost with Chris Sale.

It’s hard to replace the guy that helped the Sox win as Sale did. Sale proved his value with the Red Sox in 2018, thanks to his great game five performance against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. The White Sox may miss Sale but the players they selected have a bright future ahead of them.

Of the four players Chicago picked up in the trade, Moncada has had the most success. When he isn’t hurt, he does well at the plate. His slash line is currently .272/.398/.407. Moncada does make a mistake or two every now and then but he’s getting better and is one of the better players on the team.

In 2019, Kopech spent the entire season on the injured list after having Tommy John surgery. Then, in 2020, he sat out the season because of COVID-19. In 2021 so far, he has pitched and pitched decently as a member of the Sox bullpen. Diaz is out of baseball currently. Alexander-Basabe is now with the San Francisco Giants organization. He played some minor league ball with the White Sox but has since moved on. Both Diaz and Alexander-Basabe didn’t have an impact on the Sox.