Chicago White Sox: 3 realistic trade packages that improve the team
The 2021 season showed that the Chicago White Sox are a stellar team but have their flaws. One flaw is that they are a right-handed heavy team. Of the nine players that received the majority of playing time during the 2021 season, five of them are right-handed hitters. Three of them are switch hitters, and only one of them is left-handed.
Another flaw is that they failed to do the little things such as shifting, stealing bases, and hitting fly balls. The White Sox had the third-highest ground ball rate in major league baseball and were the only team in the top 10 to advance to the postseason.
Heading into 2022, there are a few openings for the White Sox on the field, primarily second base and right field, that if addressed, can help the White Sox eliminate those issues and propel the White Sox into serious World Series contention.
The White Sox declined the club option on Cesar Hernandez and will see players like Leury Garcia, Carlos Rodon, Ryan Tepera, Billy Hamilton, Brian Goodwin, Evan Marshall, Jace Fry, and Jimmy Cordero head to the free-agent market.
The Chicago White Sox could make a big trade during the 2021-22 offseason.
Although many fans are hopeful the White Sox will make an expensive splash in free agency to address these issues, it is more likely the White Sox will choose to make their acquisitions via trade this offseason.
Rather than spending $100+ million on a player long-term, multiple players will likely be available this offseason on team-friendly deals that allow the White Sox to maintain control for longer than the 2022 season.
The White Sox no longer have a deep farm system, so there is a chance that the organization will have to part with some players that fans and the organization would have liked to see work their way up to the majors since these players don’t have a clear shot at being an everyday player.
Ketel Marte would be a fantastic addition to the Chicago White Sox for 2022.
One of the most realistic options for the White Sox this offseason to address their issues at second base is Arizona Diamondbacks star outfielder and second baseman, Ketel Marte.
Marte is an excellent player who knows how to make contact and get on base. Marte slashed .318/.377/.532 in 2021, driving in 50 runs while hitting 14 home runs.
Marte is also a switch hitter, allowing the White Sox to add versatility to their primarily right-handed lineup.
Marte has been in trade talks over the last couple of seasons and Arizona will most likely search for somewhat of a large haul in return due to his team-friendly contract. He is owed $8 million in 2022 and then has club options for 2023 and 2024 that will pay him $10 million and $12 million in those years.
A package that might be able to get the job done for the White Sox in this trade may look like this:
3B Jake Burger, OF Micker Adolfo, and RHP Jonathan Stiever for 2B/OF Ketel Marte.
Jake Burger is the best fit at third base and with Yoan Moncada as the man holding down the hot corner for the White Sox, he will likely be expendable in the right deal.
Micker Adolfo is a player who has not been able to stay healthy and put things together during his time in the minor leagues. He was signed in 2013 and is the White Sox’s 11th best prospect, but it’s unlikely we’ll see him move up to the majors next year, especially with the quick ascension of OF prospect Yoelqui Cespedes.
He provides solid defense, solid speed, and raw power and isn’t far away from making it to the majors and that could help push Arizona over the edge in a potential deal.
Jonathan Stiever, the White Sox fifth-round pick in 2018, has the potential to be a mid-rotation starter. As Arizona looks to get out of their rebuilding phase sooner rather than later, throwing a player with mid-rotation arm potential and a solid pitch mix can help the White Sox close this deal and make both sides happy.
Bringing back Chris Bassitt would be a great move for the Chicago White Sox.
The White Sox could also potentially make a deal for a former player in Oakland Athletics pitcher Chris Bassitt. Bassitt had a stellar 2021 season and was named an All-Star for the first time in his career.
He finished the 2021 season with a 3.15 ERA and 1.06 WHIP to go along with his 159 strikeouts in 157.1 innings. He also finished with a 12-4 record for the A’s. Bassitt has one year left on his deal and is set to make a team-friendly $8.8 million in 2022.
The A’s are looking to shed salary to as low as $50 million after having one of the highest payrolls the club has accumulated in years. Bassitt returning to Chicago would be a homecoming that could play out well for both sides.
A trade for Bassitt could look something along the lines of:
RHPs Jason Bilous and Kade McClure for RHP Chris Bassitt.
Bilous and McClure rank as the White Sox 18th and 19th best prospects and according to MLB.com, their ETA to make the jump to the big leagues is 2022, which would allow the A’s to take some time developing them in their system and use them at some point next season.
Bilous may need some more work before heading into an MLB rotation as he carries a 5.13 ERA in the Minor Leagues. His mid 90s fastball, low 80s slider, curveball, and changeup mix that help him keep left-handed batters at bay can help him become a solid back of the rotation arm.
McClure seems more ready to make the jump as he carries a career 3.73 ERA in the minors over 279.2 innings. The pair of right-handers are both expected to be back of the rotation starters, but the potential both have can help the White Sox and A’s swing a deal that would be beneficial to both sides.
The Chicago White Sox could really use a backup catcher going into 2022.
Another Arizona Diamondbacks player the White Sox could inquire about is catcher Carson Kelly. After a breakout second half from Daulton Varsho, the Diamondbacks may be ready to give him the full-time starting catcher job.
Kelly may be known more for his presence at the plate than behind it but he is no slouch behind the dish either. The Seby Zavala and Zack Collins projects haven’t seemed to work out for the White Sox and Kelly would be a solid addition to backup Yasmani Grandal.
Kelly is set to make $5.25 million in 2022 and will have another two years of arbitration after that.
A trade package for Kelly, if separate from the Marte trade, could look something like this:
RHP Caleb Freeman and OF Blake Rutherford for C Carson Kelly.
Freeman is purely a reliever but has shown good stuff in his two years in the minors and carries a career 2.88 ERA and can bring a solid reliever to the Diamondbacks as they look to turn the corner on their rebuild.
Rutherford is a career .272 hitter in the minor leagues and has a nice left-handed stroke that can send the ball to anywhere in the field. He will need some work before he makes the jump into the pros, but if things pan out, he could be a solid addition to the Diamondbacks outfield, especially if they move on from some of their current outfielder pieces.
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