3 players the Chicago White Sox gave up on too early

Rick Hahn has made his fair share of impactful moves as the general manager of the Chicago White Sox. He is responsible for putting the White Sox’s current core together.

His deal with the Boston Red Sox to acquire Michael Kopech and Yoan Moncada for Chris Sale altered the course of the franchise. His trade with the Chicago Cubs that netted him Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease for Jose Quintana is legendary.

Adding impactful talent is one of the fun parts of the job. But the other side of the job is having to get rid of players.

This can get tricky. You never want to give up on a player too early. So far this season, Rick Hahn has done a good job getting rid of players at the right time. He has cut ties with Zack Collins (via trade in the offseason), Dallas Keuchel, and Yermin Mercedes.

Keucehl is pitching in the minor leagues, Collins was optioned to Triple-A, and Mercedes was claimed on waivers.

However, every general manager has some moves they wish they could have back. Oftentimes, when a team is in a win-now mode, they are forced to trade young talent.

Hahn’s track record with a contending roster has not been great. Last season, he added Cesar Hernandez, Ryan Tepera, and Craig Kimbrel.

While Tepera was solid, Hernandez and Kimbrel were a disaster. The White Sox were bounced in the ALDS by the Houston Astros. Kimbrel was traded during the offseason and Hernadez was replaced by Josh Harrison.

The White Sox are in a position to add talent at the deadline once again. While it is always good to take advantage of a championship window, you must be careful about who you trade away. Here are three players the White Sox wished they had hung onto:

Marcus Semien

Marcus Semien would have been great for the Chicago White Sox in 2022.

Before Marcus Semien became an All-Star, Gold Glove Winner, and Silver Slugger Award Winner, he was an infielder for the Chicago White Sox.

Semien spent his first two years in the big leagues in Chicago. He batted .240/.293/.380 with eight home runs during that stretch. It was Semien’s first taste of major league action and it was nothing to write home about.

He showed glimpses of potential but it was hard to envision him as the star player he is today. Yet here we are and Semien just signed a massive deal worth $175 million to play second base for the Texas Rangers.

The White Sox traded Semiem in a trade package for Jeff Samardjza. Samardjza was terrible for the White Sox while Semien turned into an All-Star with the Oakland A’s.

During his six seasons with the Athletics, he became an All-Star, Gold Glove Award winner, and a two-time Silver Slugger. He is as dependable of a player as they come. In 2019, he led the entire MLB in games played and plate appearances.

He did it once again in 2021. In 2019, he finished third in the MVP voting after hitting .285 with 33 home runs and 92 RBIs. He had an even better season in 2021, increasing his home run total to 45 and RBI total to 102.

Semien has quietly emerged as one of the best middle infielders in baseball. Had the White Sox given him more time, he might be their starting second baseman right now.

Fernando Tatis Jr.

The Chicago White Sox traded away one of the best players in the world.

Oh, what could have been. Fernando Tatis Jr. is easily the most exciting young player in baseball. At the age of 23, he has already won two Silver Slugger Awards, been named an All-Star, and earned a 14-year contract worth $340 million with the San Diego Padres.

The White Sox traded him as a teenager for James Shields in an effort to bolster their rotation for a playoff run. Shields posted a 6.77 ERA and the White Sox missed the playoffs. It is safe to say that the deal did not work out as planned.

To be fair to Rick Hahn, it is hard to project how good a 16-year-old kid will be. But had the White Sox held onto Tatis and watched him develop into the force he is today, they would easily have the most electric infield in baseball.

Before undergoing wrist surgery that ended his 2022 campaign, Tatis batted .282/.364/.611 with a .975 OPS in 2021. He led the National League with 42 home runs and drove in 97 RBIs. Not only can Tatis rake but he can also steal bases. He swiped 25 bags in 2021.

Tatis Jr. is also one of the most marketable personalities in the game. He was named the cover athlete for MLB The Show in 2021. The White Sox are still kicking themselves for trading Tatis.

However, as a 16-year-old, he would not help them win games in 2016. The White Sox thought they had a team to compete with so they rolled the dice. It’s the risk every team runs when adding talent before the trade deadline.