There are just three weeks remaining until the MLB trade deadline. While there may be a temporary pause in trade conversations as teams direct their attention to the 2025 MLB Draft, it won't be long before the stove starts heating up and deals get made.
The Chicago White Sox are once again going to be major sellers. Outside of a few young core pieces, the White Sox roster should be on the market.
Starting pitcher Adrian Houser along with outfielders Luis Robert Jr., Andrew Benintendi, and Mike Tauchman are obvious trade chips. I also think the White Sox are well positioned to trade catcher Korey Lee if they find the right buyer.
Over the last few weeks, two teams have emerged as an ideal trade deadline partner for the White Sox to move Lee.
San Diego needs catching help
According to multiple reports, the San Diego Padres are looking to upgrade behind the dish at this year's trade deadline.
The Padres are 49-43, situated just outside of the current NL playoff picture. While San Diego has a Top 10 team ERA, they are 23rd in baseball in runs scored. They simply have too many easy outs currently in their lineup, catcher being one of them.
Elias Díaz is batting .201 with a .576 OPS. 38-year-old veteran Martín Maldonado is even worse, batting .179 with a .524 OPS. No defensive production can justify having two catchers on the roster that are putrid offensively.
While outlets like MLB Trade Rumors wrote that "few of the clear sellers around the game have catching help for sale," referencing the young White Sox, Marlins, and Rockies catchers enjoying productive season, they are forgetting about Chicago stashing Korey Lee in Triple-A.
Lee has an .808 OPS in Charlotte this season and .657 OPS in 14 big league games. He has improved offensively after slugging 12 home runs for the 2024 White Sox in a more regular role.
He would be an upgrade over what the Padres currently have and Lee still has 4+ years of club control. The White Sox could be down to flip him for a similar caliber player that plays a position of need.
26-year-old infielder Yonathan Perlaza, who has an .849 OPS in Triple-A feels like a fair return.
Baltimore could use a controllable backup
The Baltimore Orioles are not in a year of contention quite like the Padres are. While the O's came into 2025 with expectations of making it back to the playoffs, they're currently 42-50 and barely clinging to hope.
Baltimore already got the selling going by traded veteran reliever Bryan Baker to the Tampa Bay Rays for a draft pick. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if the Orioles tried to add a few controllable pieces at the trade deadline.
This team is still going to have an exciting core in 2026, and one of the current roster deficiencies is at catcher.
Adley Rutschman is having a down year. He is also currently on the Injured List - as are backups Maverick Handley, Chadwick Tromp, and Gary Sanchez.
Right now, Baltimore has seven catchers on the 40-man roster with Alex Jackson and Jacob Stallings currently getting the big league playing time. Even when healthy, the only Orioles catcher actually producing offensively is Gary Sanchez, and he's on an expiring contract with an injury that could sideline him for 10 weeks.
Many Orioles fans are wondering why they let James McCann walk away. The team is left desperately needing a long-term backup catcher...Korey Lee would be the perfect fit.
Lee is probably never going to be consistent enough on offense to be a really solid everyday catcher, but he's got enough pop in his bat and is tremendous defensively. He's the perfect backup catcher for a contending team and he comes with contract control. Lee is also a well above-average baserunner, which is rare for a catcher.
Baltimore is spoiled with young position players. They could easily find a swap that makes sense for Lee and gives Chicago an MLB outfielder. 24-year-old outfielder Jud Fabian or 25-year-old outfielder Reed Trimble come to mind.
I'll leave it to Chris Getz to iron out the details with A.J. Preller or Mike Elias, but this is the perfect trade deadline partnership for the White Sox.