2024 MLB Buyers or Sellers: Chicago White Sox

2024 MLB Buyers or Sellers: Chicago White Sox

The 2024 Chicago White Sox are not good. They currently have the worst record in MLB, which isn’t expected to change. With the trade deadline approaching, the White Sox have plenty of names to shop around.

The team so far

Record(as of 6/25/24): 21-59, 31.0 GB of AL Central, 22.5 GB ALWC

Best Hitters: Paul DeJong, Luis Robert, Andrew Vaughn, Gavin Sheets

Best Pitchers: Garrett Crochet, Erick Fedde, Michael Kopech

Buyers or Sellers?

The White Sox will be big-time sellers. While they have plenty of controllable pieces to try building around, selling off what they have while the value is high would be better. There’s a good mix of young, controllable players and veterans who are rental pieces.

Garrett Crochet

Outside of Jesus Luzardo, Crochet will be the best pitcher available on the trade market. The 25-year-old lefty is 6-6 with a 3.05 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 130 strikeouts in 94 innings.

Whoever trades for Crochet will have him for a bit. He still has two arbitration years left after this season. The White Sox are going to have a high asking price, but whether teams buy into the risk is another story.

That risk is whether he can stay healthy and stay in the rotation. Crochet missed the 2022 season from Tommy John Surgery and started with the White Sox in the bullpen. His current 94 innings is a career-high for him, and teams might be weary of giving up a massive package for a risk.

Even if Crochet goes back to the bullpen, he’s an arm any contending team should want to have. He throws gas and lefties are always a hot commodity. Teams such as the Dodgers, Padres and Yankees have all been linked to Crochet, and it would be dumb to not pull the trigger.

Luis Robert Jr.

Similar to Crochet, Robert is a young, controlled piece the White Sox have. He signed a six-year, $50 million contract back in 2020 with two club options at the end.

The 26-year-old has dealt with injuries most of his young career, including an IL stint this season. Robert is currently batting .198/.284/.484 with seven homers and 11 RBIs in 25 games.

When Robert is healthy, he’s a beast of a player. He hit a career-high 38 home runs and 80 RBIs in 2023, which was also a career-high 145 games played. He already has a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger award to his name, and he can easily steal 20-plus bases.

The White Sox will start the asking price for Robert as well, but similar to Crochet, the injury factor will be in play. It still doesn’t mean teams shouldn’t push hard for Robert. The Dodgers have been linked to both Crochet and Robert and perhaps a similar package when they acquired Max Scherzer and Trea Turner could be in play.

Erick Fedde

Fedde will be on the cheaper side, but he’s put up a great year since returning from playing in Korea last year. The right-hander is 5-2 with a 3.05 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 86 strikeouts in 94 innings.

Fedde is also under contract for next season, giving whatever team acquires him an extra year of control. He won’t require as big of a package as Crochet/Robert, but the White Sox could get a decent haul for a starter having a career year.

2024 MLB Buyers or Sellers: Tampa Bay Rays

Chicago has a chance to control this year’s trade deadline. They don’t have to trade Crochet or Robert, but they’d be in a much better spot to build a contending team by trading them for a young package.

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