The Chicago White Sox kicked off trade season last week by dealing veteran catcher Matt Thaiss to the Tampa Bat Rays in exchange for outfield prospect Dru Baker.
Headliners like Luis Robert Jr., Davis Martin, and Cam Booser could soon follow—but with so much focus on the top of the roster, there’s still plenty of intrigue surrounding the depth pieces who could be moved in the weeks ahead.
Beyond the names mentioned, the White Sox have a few more chips that could find homes elsewhere. Last year’s deadline showed that even mid-tier players could net useful returns, with Tommy Pham, Paul DeJong, and Tanner Banks all moved in separate deals. Some of those trades brought back intriguing pieces—like infielder William Bergolla from the Phillies for Banks, or reliever Jarold Rosado from the Royals in exchange for DeJong.
Starting pitchers could be on the move
The White Sox signed veteran left-hander Martin Perez in the offseason with the intention of getting useful innings from him and moving him at the deadline. Unfortunately, Perez is likely to remain sidelined until sometime around the trade deadline as he recovers from a left flexor strain that placed him on the 60-day injured list.
Perez is optimistic he’ll pitch again this summer, but given the nature of his injury, the likelihood of a midseason trade remains low unless he returns sooner than expected and proves he’s fully healthy.
Adrian Houser, on the other hand, has delivered an early return on investment since signing with the White Sox on May 20. He made an immediate impact by tossing six scoreless innings that same night, and followed it up with another shutout performance in New York.
Most recently, Houser turned in a third straight quality start, allowing three earned runs over 6.1 innings in a narrow loss to Baltimore.
That's 18.1 innings pitched with a 1.47 ERA and 0.98 WHIP for him so far this season. If Houser maintains a similar level of performance over his next few outings, he will draw interest from contenders in search of rotation depth before the trade deadline.
Relief pitchers with value
In the bullpen, right-hander Steven Wilson remains a potential trade chip for clubs seeking middle-inning arms. When healthy, Wilson has shown the kind of swing-and-miss ability that plays in October, and he could be a strong fit as a depth bullpen option for a contender.
Wilson has a 2.16 ERA in 18 appearances. He has been Chicago's most consistent reliever this season and is under club control through 2027. If he finds a groove over the next several weeks, his value could quietly climb and the Sox could get a legitimate prospect for Wilson.
The same goes for a handful of other fringe arms on the roster. Brandon Eisert or recently called-up Dan Altavilla, if they perform well into June and July, they could emerge as late-rising candidates by the time the deadline approaches. Neither of them have the same value as Wilson, even at their best.
Tauchman’s quiet trade case
Though he's dealt with injuries on and off to start the year, Mike Tauchman has produced in limited opportunities, batting .372 with two home runs and six RBI across just 43 at-bats in 12 games.
Tauchman's often hit near the top of the lineup, including regular appearances in the leadoff or two-hole spots. He has an OPS of 1.132 to show for it.
Tauchman had an impressive road series in Baltimore, where he recorded a three-hit game on Saturday, followed by a triple and a home run on Sunday. If he stays healthy and conitnues hitting at the top of the lineup, he definitely becomes a valuable trade asset.
Every contending team can get excited about a left-handed bat with defensive versatility across the outfield that could integrate smoothly into a bench or outfield rotation.
Exploring trade packages
One potential strategy the White Sox could pursue is combining players in a package deal to maximize prospect return. Putting Erick Fedde, Michael Kopech, and Tommy Pham into the same three-team deal is how the Sox managed to get both Miguel Vargas and Jeral Perez in one trade.
With Luis Robert Jr.’s value clouded by underperformance, including him in a package deal could help recoup more substantial assets than moving him alone. For example, pairing Robert with a controllable pitcher like Davis Martin or a bullpen arm like Cam Booser might appeal to a contender.
This kind of packaging could help the Sox salvage value from a market that may have cooled on Robert individually. It’s a scenario that may not bring back the kind of top-tier prospect one might have once hoped for in a standalone deal for Robert, but it could still replenish organizational depth with multiple controllable pieces and soften the sting of a missed sell-high opportunity.