It might be too early for the Chicago White Sox to acquire a significant outfielder, but there could be options at the trade deadline. Here are 5 of them.
It makes sense that Chicago White Sox general manager Rick Hahn is looking at internal options for the time being to replace injured center fielder Luis Robert, whose return date from a hip injury is uncertain.
There’s no need to panic and try to make a deal now with few teams in trade mode and only a couple out of contention. The Sox have enough offensive talent and starting pitching to get by, and the American League Central isn’t a particularly strong division.
Still, unless Leury García, Billy Hamilton and Jake Lamb turn things around in the next few weeks, or rookie Luis Gonzalez hits like Yermín Mercedes to start his career, Hahn eventually will have to upgrade the outfield. He already has lost star left fielder Eloy Jiménez and a budding star in Robert for most, if not all, of the season, while Adam Engel had a setback in his rehab from a hamstring injury.
Hahn knows the pressure to make a deal will increase once June rolls around.
“The performances of Yermín and Andrew (Vaughn) have helped mitigate some of the urgency to replace the vacancy created by Eloy,” Hahn said Tuesday. “Look, it’s the nature of how we’re all wired here. There’s always this inclination to try to fix it, solve the problem to find the right answer outside if you don’t feel you have it internally.
“So that’s going to continue to gnaw at all of us that are charged with trying to put together the best roster that we possibly can. Initially we’re going to start with some of the internal options that we have as we continue to evaluate what we have potentially available to us.
“It’s still early in this season. It’s not exactly the time where you see potentially impactful players change teams. But that doesn’t mean we’re not going to at least explore what is potentially out there and evaluate it.”
Heading into Friday’s series with the Royals in Kansas City, Mo., Hamilton is hitting .136, Lamb .143 and García .192. Sox outfielders rank last in the majors in home runs (4our) and 28th in OPS (.632). Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf brought in manager Tony La Russa to win now, and despite a modest 16-13 record and lots of controversies, they’re in a good position in the Central.
Hahn likely will have to add to the Sox payroll to bring in another quality hitter, but that shouldn’t be an issue if Reinsdorf wants to give La Russa the best chance to win.
So who should the Sox have on their radar for a possible deal in June or July? Here are five players who could become available this summer.
Joey Gallo, Texas Rangers
Though the Adam Dunn signing by former GM Ken Williams after the 2010 season still causes recurring flashbacks, the possibility of bringing in another all-or-nothing, left-handed hitting outfielder is intriguing. And unlike Dunn, a defensive liability who primarily was a designated hitter with the Sox, Gallo has a Gold Glove playing right field for the Rangers.
Hahn seemingly likes to deal with Rangers President Jon Daniels, who sent Nomar Mazara and Lance Lynn to the Sox in separate trades the last two offseasons. Gallo was rumored to be on the market in August, but Daniels held onto him.
“We felt like there was still more there,” Daniels said after the season. “We wanted to wait it out. Our options with Joey, one of which includes extending him, are still very much available to us.”
The Rangers are in rebuild mode and have to decide whether Gallo is part of the core or a trade chip. Gallo, a career .210 hitter, leads the league with 48 strikeouts and has only three home runs entering Thursday. But he also has a .397 OBP, thanks to 26 walks, and figures to hit some bombs as the season heats up.
Kris Bryant, Cubs
The Sox tried to sign Joc Pederson last winter but went with Adam Eaton after Pederson reportedly asked for too much money. Pederson has struggled on the North Side, while Eaton has been up-and-down.
Bryant is healthy again and off to a great start with the Cubs, who still could extend him with a long-term deal. But that seems less likely every day, and once July comes, President Jed Hoyer has to consider dealing his unsigned, soon-to-be free agents, including Bryant.
Meanwhile, Bryant is playing more outfield in 2021 after playing there only four times in 2020. He already has eight starts in left, five in right and one in center. The Cubs need young pitching, but after they dealt Jiménez and Dylan Cease to the Sox for José Quintana in an ill-fated deal in 2017, would Hoyer risk another blockbuster trade with their city rival? It seems like a long shot.
Starling Marte, Miami Marlins
While Marte never became the five-tool superstar he was touted as during his early days with the Pittsburgh Pirates — and was suspended for 80 games in 2017 after testing positive for nandrolone, a banned substance — he still would be coveted if made available.
The Marlins outfielder is a two-time Gold Glove Award winner with a great arm and has 252 career steals. He currently is on the IL with a non-displaced rib fracture and isn’t expected back until early June, but unless the Marlins believe they can re-sign him, general manager Kim Ng has to explore all trade options.
Corey Dickerson, Marlins
A left-handed hitter batting .318, he also becomes a free agent after the season. Dickerson has lost some of his pop after a 27 home-run season with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2017, but he’s a career .285 hitter and probably could be had for a more reasonable price than the others.
Ng came up in the Sox organization and has a good relationship with Reinsdorf. But the Marlins still might be in contention in the weakened National League East and could hang on to both Marte and Dickerson.
Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies
Yes, he’s overpaid, and his stats might be dependent on the thin air of Denver, but Blackmon could be available as the Rockies continue their rebuild.
The Sox likely would have to eat a considerable amount of Blackmon’s contract, which pays the 34-year-old $21.5 million this season with player options for $21 million in 2022 and $10 million in ’23. For a short-term fix, it might not be worth it.
Blackmon also is a career .342 hitter with a .978 OPS at Coors Field and a .262 hitter with a .745 OPS on the road. The Rockies already dumped star Nolan Arenado to lower the payroll and could deal shortstop Trevor Story before he leaves as a free agent in the fall.
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