Chicago White Sox: 3 realistic trade packages that improve the team

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.