The Chicago White Sox have needed a second baseman for a long time now. When Nick Madrial went down for the year, it was clear that needed to be done. Danny Mendick and Leury Garcia are fine players but they can’t be getting everyday at-bats on a World Series contending team. They have, according to Jeff Passan, made a trade with Cleveland for Cesar Hernandez. He will be coming to Chicago to be the new second baseman.
Cesar Hernandez is an upgrade over the two that they have slitting time there right now. He isn’t that far above average but he does hit for power really well. He has a slash of .231/.307/.431 with an OPS of .738. He also has 18 home runs and 47 RBIs. The power numbers are good and he is a Gold Glove-caliber second baseman.
This isn’t the most attractive name on the market that they could have gotten but it is a really nice upgrade over their current options. He is going to go into a loaded lineup and try and spark it. They haven’t been hitting well lately but they certainly have the capability to do so.
It is also an interesting trade because the team the White Sox are trying to pull away from is the one giving them the player. The Sox currently holds an 8.5 game lead in the American League Central over the second-place Cleveland Baseball team. It is crazy that not only are they giving up, but they are also trying to help the White Sox in their quest to win the World Series.
The Chicago White Sox are finalizing a deal to acquire second baseman Cesar Hernandez from Cleveland, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 29, 2021
White Sox have long been in the market for a second baseman. And now they get one in the 31-year-old Hernandez, who is hitting .231/.307/.431 with 18 homers.
The Chicago White Sox are a much better team with Cesar Hernandez in the mix.
The White Sox have one more game against the Royals before they will face off against Hernandez’s old squad. In the grand scheme of things, it isn’t the name we initially thought but it is a good player that will help them win. His power doesn’t grow on trees. He will also look much better in the loaded White Sox lineup once they are fully healthy.
The White Sox are all in on this year and they should be. They made a deal with a division rival to address a position of need. If this trade ends up working to its full potential, Rick Hahn will look like a genius. He waited out some of the injuries to see what his team needed most and they still won baseball games in the meantime. Chicago will welcome Hernandez with open arms because this will really help the middle of the infield.