3 White Sox players who have already improved their trade value
The Chicago White Sox are out there in Arizona getting ready for the 2023 season. They are trying to bounce back from what was a very disappointing 2022 season in which they failed to meet all expectations.
Now, they are still trying to improve their team even though they have already started the exhibition season. They made a few moves during the off-season but they aren't even close to being good enough to claim they are done.
In order to get better, they might need to make another move before Opening Day. In order to do that, they might need to make a trade.
There are some players on the roster right now that they can move for other help across the league. A few of them have improved their trade stock in the short time that spring training exhibition games have been going on. These three players lead the pack:
1. Jake Burger
Jake Burger deserves a chance to play a full season the big leagues.
Jake Burger has been red hot to start spring training games. He might not even have come into this considered a bench piece for this team. He felt bound for AAA Charlotte but it is going to be hard to send him down if he keeps hitting as well as he is.
Burger is just below average at almost every defensive position that he has tried in the big leagues. That does limit him a little bit which is something the White Sox might not have enough room for with Andrew Vaughn, Eloy Jimenez, Gavin Sheets, and Yasmani Grandal in the mix.
Going to another team would significantly increase his chances of becoming a good designated hitter in this league. He might be able to return the Sox a good player as well.
2. Gavin Sheets
Gavin Sheets might be in a very similar boat to Jake Burger right now.
Jake Burger and Gavin Sheets have both been connected for a long time now. They were both dominating AAA in a somewhat surprising fashion during the 2021 season. They were each called up at different times that year and have been making an impact ever since.
Both have been called up, sent back down, and called up again since their first-ever call-up but that is because of the depth the White Sox had at those times. Now, it seems like there might be a tad bit more room but they are very similar.
One thing that might make Sheets more appealing is the fact that he is a left-handed hitter. He brings a ton of power which is something another team in the league might want.
If they can get a pitcher or something else that they can use for equal value, they might want to do so. With how Sheets has performed at the plate so far this year, that is certainly a possibility.
3. Lucas Giolito
Lucas Giolito may get traded if things aren't going well for the team.
The Chicago White Sox are either going to bounce-back or be the same mediocre team that they were in 2022. It is almost better to be straight up bad than mediocre because if you are bad, you can get better prospects through the draft and there is less pressure.
Well, if the White Sox are mediocre, they should consider trading Lucas Giolito if he is performing well on a personal level. So far in spring training, he has to have improved his trade value just by talking and showing off his new mechanics.
When he starts to get into games regularly, he might start to look even better. His struggles in 2022 were a large reason for the team underperforming as a whole. This year, he'd like to be better and lift them up.
With an interesting contract extension needed soon, he needs to be good or be gone after this year. They aren't going to pay a mediocre pitcher a lot of money for what he did from 2019-2021. Hopefully, the resolution (regardless of the direction) helps the Sox.
The White Sox should consider a trade for Max Fried. dark. Next