With the MLB trade deadline quickly approaching, the Chicago White Sox might be in position to strike a deal with the crosstown rival Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs have been scuffling over the last few weeks with a 4-7 record over their last 11 games. They’re lead the NL Central is down to just two games and a lot of their struggles can be attributed to poor starting pitching.
Shota Imanaga’s recent return from the Injured List will provide a boost, but the Cubs are still thin on pitching. They lost Justin Steele for the season while Ben Brown and Jameson Taillon have both underachieved.
The Cubs are already reportedly reaching out to teams about acquiring starting pitchers. If a veteran rental is something the Cubs are open to, the White Sox have Adrian Houser, who would be a perfect fit for the North Siders.
Houser is the perfect trade candidate
Since signing a Major League deal with the White Sox on May 20, Adrian Houser has been playing some of the best baseball of his career.
In seven starts this season, the 32-year-old righty has a 1.90 ERA over 42.2 innings. He is already second among White Sox players in fWAR (1.1).
Houser is on a one-year deal, making him the perfect candidate to be traded at the deadline. The White Sox have already prepared for Houser's departure by adding Noah Syndergaard on a minor league contract and promoting some of their young hurlers.
It doesn't make much sense for the White Sox told hold on to Houser. They have a ton of starting pitching depth throughout the organization that is knocking on the door of the Major Leagues. Chicago won't have a rotation spot for Houser in 2026 and won't re-sign him in the offseason. Dealing him now and selling high is ideal.
There should be a lot of interest in Houser from contending teams over the next month. He's not the co-ace many squads are looking to add, but he brings a consistency that most pitchers on the market (like Sandy Alcantara) do not.
What could a return for Houser look like?
The White Sox are not going to get an unbelievable haul of Top 100 prospects for Houser. I'd be surprised if they even get one prospect ranked in the Top 100.
A return package for Houser probably includes one prospect ranked in an organization's Top 10 and maybe one "lottery ticket" from the lower levels of the minor leagues.
In a deal with the Cubs, maybe it's RHP Jaxon Wiggins (No. 9) and OF Eli Lovich (No. 30) coming back to the South Siders. That would be a massive win for Chris Getz and the White Sox front office, especially considering Houser was still with the Texas Rangers organization a little over a month ago.
The Adrian Houser signing is an example of a little move that can slowly start to change the direction of an organization. A trade between the White Sox and Cubs could help both teams get where they want to be.