Chicago White Sox: 3 insane trade packages for Trea Turner
Ever since the Chicago White Sox lost Nick Madrigal for the year due to injury, it was clear that they might go out and look for someone. Leury Garcia and Danny Mendick are fine bench players but they should not be everyday guys on a World Series contender. One player that makes a lot of sense for them is Trea Turner of the Washington Nationals. In fact, if he was willing to play second base, he would be the best possible option available.
The Washington Nationals are sellers. You have to believe that everyone on the roster not named Juan Soto is available. They might even be trading guys like Kyle Schwarber or Max Scherzer. It is a complete firesale there as it should be.
Turner is having a marvelous season. He is currently at a 4.0 WAR which tells you exactly how good he is doing. He has a slash of .320/.368/.519. He also has 18 home runs and 49 RBIs so you know the power numbers are doing just fine too. If he were to come to a contender like the White Sox, it might boost him even more. It would also boost the White Sox in many ways which wouldn’t hurt either.
There is one minor issue. Trea Turner left the game on Tuesday night. A lot of people speculated that it was because of a pending trade. Then when we found out that he wasn’t traded, it could have been a real injury. We later came to find out that he tested positive for COVID-19. It is an issue with the Washington Nationals clubhouse right now.
Trea Turner would be a fantastic addition to the 2021 Chicago White Sox.
If he were to get traded, some quarantine is more than likely in order either way. However, if the White Sox could be the team to do it and do it safely, he is worth considering. These are three trades that might get the deal done:
The Chicago White Sox could give up a big bat in order to land someone like Turner.
Gavin Sheets has been marvelous for the Chicago White Sox. He has hit big home runs and shown that he belongs in Major League Baseball. However, it is clear that his playing time might be limited on a team like the White Sox. If he went to the Washington Nationals, he would become an everyday player there. It is something to consider if Trea Turner is the piece coming the other way.
Micker Adolfo and Jonathan Stiever are the other two pieces going back to Washington in this deal. In the case of Adolfo, he is getting closer and closer to being MLB ready. He has been in the organization for a long time but it seems like he is pretty blocked in the outfield. If he went to Washington, like Sheets, he would have a chance to be afforded much more playing time. He is still yet to make his MLB debut.
Jonathan Stiever has made his MLB debut. He is a very talented young pitcher that could end up being a middle-of-the-pack starter someday. In the MLB, he still has a lot to prove. The Nationals are going to start rebuilding and someone like Stiever would be a great piece to add on. With the starters that the White Sox have right now, it doesn’t seem likely that he will be a permanent fixture there for a long time.
The Chicago White Sox might have to part ways with Jake Burger to get a fair deal.
Trea Turner is an elite player. The National don’t have to move him so if they do, they might want to get something nice back in return. Jake Burger would be a great start. He was a first-round pick by the White Sox a few years ago. He had to fight his way back from some pretty nasty injuries in order to make his Major League debut this season. When Eloy Jimenez returned, he went back to AAA but not without a superb MLB audition.
A team like the Nationals would be so smart to take a chance on Burger. He was very good while with the big club and only failed to stay up because of space. Yoan Moncada blocks him at third base and that isn’t going to change any time soon.
Jimmy Lambert is also someone who can help them with their organizational pitching. He isn’t going to have a spot with the White Sox long-term either so the Nationals could use him as an extra pitcher to try and develop.
Yermin Mercedes has had his ups and downs so far this season. If the Washinton Nationals wanted to take their chances at him getting back to that hitter we know he can be, they might really enjoy having him included in the deal as well. If this offer was something that Washington was into, the White Sox have to consider it.
The Chicago White Sox might have to pay a steep price to land a player like this.
The Chicago White Sox are in a position where it may be smart to trade their number one prospect for that final piece. If they added a superstar infielder like Trea Turner to their group, they would become bigger favorites for the American League than they already are. The Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, and Tampa Bay Rays all believe that as well which they should but the White Sox have just as good of a chance.
That is why if the Washington Nationals wanted Jared Kelley in a deal for Turner, they should do it. If it was a prospect of that level, it could be one for one or maybe with another low-level guy or two but Kelley would be the main return. He, if he sticks around, will be a big part of the White Sox future. However, this is a deal that could put the White Sox over the edge.
As mentioned before, there are a lot of brilliant pitchers in the big White Sox club right now and there are more on the way. It makes Kelley a little more expendable than he would have been in previous years. Washington would be wise to add a prospect like that to the mix as they rebuild.
There are no rumors that attach the White Sox to Turner but if he is available, Rick Hahn should absolutely be making a call to see what’s going on. Regardless of what happens, we can only hope that they do what it takes to better their chances.
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