In an offseason filled with surprisingly astute moves, Chicago White Sox general manager Chris Getz pulled off one of his best when the calendar turned to February, picking up pitching prospect David Sandlin from the Boston Red Sox.
Of course, the entirety of the deal was far more complicated, with two players to be named later, money, and veteran reliever Jordan Hicks also coming to Chicago in exchange for Gage Ziehl and another player to be named later.
Make no mistake about it: Sandlin is the prize for the Pale Hose. The 24-year-old reached Triple-A for the first time in 2025, logging a 4.50 ERA (3.76 FIP) in 106 innings across the two highest levels of the minor leagues. Already on the 40-man roster, he should be a big factor in the White Sox's rotation competition in spring training.
Hicks may seem to be the least important piece of the puzzle from this deal — the Red Sox literally traded away Sandlin just to move off of his contract — but he isn't totally finished yet. As a veteran reliever with loud stuff, the White Sox could emerge as huge victors from this trade if they can help the 29-year-old rediscover his old self.
White Sox must lean into Jordan Hicks' strengths to unlock his potential
Hicks was once a lockdown leverage reliever for the St. Louis Cardinals, but upon signing with the Giants as a starter, his career fell apart in San Francisco.
The Red Sox acquired Hicks in their ill-fated Rafael Devers trade and transferred him right back to the 'pen, but things only got worse. Opposing hitters posted a .949 OPS against him as he recorded an 8.20 ERA and 6.19 FIP. His 15.5% strikeout rate was pitiful; his 12.4% walk rate was just plain ugly.
Like new teammate Seranthony Dominguez, Hicks has big velocity and an impressive track record. He also hasn't been at his best for a few years, with health issues begetting a drop in performance, particularly in terms of surrendering walks and hard contact.
Still, Hicks remains excellent at generating ground balls thanks to his sinker-heavy approach. He used that pitch more than half of the time last year, and he ranked in the 95th percentile in ground-ball rate (56.7%). He'll need to find a more reliable secondary than either his sweeper or slider (both offerings were hammered in 2025), but anyone who can avoid barrels and throw a triple-digit sinker has at least something of value to offer a bullpen.
Jordan Hicks, K'ing the Side. pic.twitter.com/miUKEOcJDB
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 1, 2025
Luckily for Hicks, he won't be asked to handle a high-leverage role upon landing in Chicago; Dominguez and Jordan Leasure will be faced with most of the save opportunities, at least at the onset of the regular season. With less on his plate, if he can maintain his elite velocity while managing to find the strike zone a little more often, Hicks could emerge as more than just a salary-filling throw-in alongside Sandlin.
A strong first-half for Hicks could give the White Sox a new, interesting trade chip and make this trade an even bigger win that it seems on the surface.