The eighth-grade dance in late July, also known as the major league trade deadline, could knock buyers and sellers out of their seats before the final three days.
And with more playoff contenders affected by injuries to key players or dealing with deficiencies at specific positions, the White Sox are in an enviable position to improve at multiple positions by trading away players who won’t be part of their rebuilding program.
The only possible untouchable is dominant lefty Garrett Crochet, who has become a staff ace at age 24 and won’t become a free agent until 2027.
The value of crochet may never be higher than it is today.
Unlike former ace Dylan Cease, the Sox shouldn’t be in a rush to move Crochet unless a package of prospects is too tempting to pass up.
A team operative suggested it wouldn’t make sense to move Crochet unless the return included a projected ace or No. 2 starter and a slugger who could produce 30-plus home runs over 10 years.
Any team acquiring Crochet would likely restrict him to pitching in relief during the second half because he already pitched 82⅔ innings after missing 2022 due to Tommy John surgery and pitched just 25 innings (12″ in the minors during a rehab assignment and 12⅔ with the Sox due to a shoulder injury) in 2023.
The Sox are considering a six-man rotation to preserve Crochet’s arms and their younger starters who were increasing their workload.
Noah Schultz, Drew Thorpe and Jonathan Cannon could all become entrenched in the Sox rotation in 2025, and keeping Crochet would take the pressure off.
Here’s a look at the Sox’s other trade candidates:
Luis Roberto Jr.
Baltimore is an attractive game because of center fielder Cedric Mullins’ struggles, and the Orioles have one of the deepest farm systems.
They have also shown a willingness to trade some of their prospects, as evidenced by the Corbin Burnes trade this winter.
Robert is owed a little more
$21 million through 2025, with two team options for $20 million annually.
He has a history of injuries, but Robert is only 26 years old and should still have a prospect package that includes a player close to his potential.
While the Draft can be a game of chance, selecting a power hitter like Jac Caglianone or Braden Montgomery could alleviate some of the lack of power in the organization.
Erick Fedde
Fedde is one of the best signings of the offseason. The Sox may want to squeeze everything they can out of a team in any trade involving Fedde, who is signed through 2025 and can improvise when he doesn’t have the best stuff on him.
At the same time, the Sox still need an inning-consuming starter, and keeping him around would at least allow the other young starters to develop at a manageable pace. Fedde is expected to attract more interest than anticipated, especially with the dearth of available starters.
The Sox could retain Fedde for the remainder of the season before evaluating their options in the offseason, when a broader cast of teams could be looking for a veteran starter.
Tommy Pham
It’s no secret that Pham will be traded to a contender after signing later this spring with the Sox. But he will likely be one of the last additions unless a team is in a rush to acquire a high-end hitter.
Pham has a career .313 batting average in the playoffs, including a .429 average against the Dodgers in the 2023 National League Division Series and a .421 average against the Rangers in the 2023 World Series while playing for the Diamondbacks.
His experience would be an asset to any playoff team.
Paul De Jong
The Dodgers will likely be patient for a few weeks after Mookie Betts suffered a broken hand and go with Miguel Rojas.
Last spring, the Brewers were supposed to trade shortstop Willy Adames, who may become a free agent. But Adames, with 12 home runs, has helped Milwaukee stay in first place in a weak NL Central. The Brewers have to be careful who they trade, given the Josh Hader deal in 2022 that destroyed clubhouse morale.
The Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette is experiencing his worst season and is signed through 2025. With Betts expected to return before the end of the season, DeJong could be a better option as the Sox will receive a reliever with real big league potential. Suspenders.
The Sox acquired prospects Jordan Leasure and Nick Nastrini in a trade with the Dodgers last summer, and the Dodgers haven’t been afraid to move prospects to get much-needed help at the major league level.
Michael Kopech
Kopech has a strikeout percentage of 32.3. Although he has blown four of nine save opportunities, there will always be a team intrigued by his 98.7 mph fastball (per FanGraphs).
Kopech, who moved from the rotation to the bullpen midway through spring training, has allowed 2.15 home runs per nine innings. His talent once tantalized Sox fans before undergoing Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for all of 2019.
The Sox could wait until the final days before trading Kopech for a prospect with similar potential.
Eloy Jiménez and Yoan Moncada
A long history of injuries severely reduces the chance of either player being traded, although Jiménez is expected to return before the All-Star break and would help a team searching for a right-handed designated hitter.
Moncada’s recovery from a right hip flexor strain has been deliberate and he is owed about $12 million.
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