The MLB trade deadline is off to a slow start, but from the few deals that have already gone down, the market seems to favor sellers like the Chicago White Sox.
The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a trade on Tuesday afternoon to acquire right-handed relief pitcher Seranthony Domínguez from the division rival Baltimore Orioles. Pitching prospect Juaron Watts-Brown went back to Baltimore in the deal.
Juaron Watts-Brown was the No. 10 prospect in Toronto's farm system. He immediately slotted it at No. 8 for the O's.
In 19 starts between High-A and Double-A this season, the 23-year-old right-handed pitcher has a 3.54 ERA with 11.4 K/9. Watts-Brown has nasty stuff, including a wipeout slider that is considered his best pitch.
It's an overall good get by Mike Elias and the Baltimore Orioles. Seranthony Domínguez is a good pitcher, but that's a pretty steep price to pay for a reliever on an expriing contract with a 3.24 ERA this season.
It bodes well for every seller, particularly those with relief pitchers on the market. That's music to the ears of Chris Getz and the Chicago White Sox.
The White Sox will benefit from the 2025 reliever market
If a pitcher like Seranthony Domínguez is getting a Top 10 prospect from a team's farm system, the White Sox should have no problem getting intriguing pieces for Steven Wilson, Dan Altavilla, and Tyler Gilbert.
Steven Wilson has a 2.91 ERA of 34 innings and 36 appearances this season. Dan Altavilla has a really impressive 2.05 ERA over 24 appearances and 26.1 innings.
Dan Altavilla 96MPH Sinker w/ 21" of drop and 17" of Hoz break. 🥶 pic.twitter.com/fx4xXWbJ7X
— FutureSox (@FutureSox) July 20, 2025
Need a left-handed reliever instead? The White Sox have got you covered. Tyler Gilbert has a 3.03 ERA over 32.2 innings in 29 outings.
All three of these pitchers have been more effective than Seranthony Domínguez this season, and both Wilson and Gilbert have additional years of control on their contract. Wilson, 30, is not a free agent until after the 2027 season. Gilbert, 31, will not hit free agency until after the 2029 season.
Things are shaping up nicely for the White Sox at the deadline. 20 teams across Major League Baseball are within five games of a playoff spot. Many of them may try to add at this week's deadline, and as we've already seen from Toronto and Baltimore, relief pitchers are expensive.
If the White Sox play their cards right, they could land at least three attention-grabbing prospects for the veteran relievers they're prepared to trade away.