White Sox Mulling Trade Candidates Before the MLB Deadline
While the All-Star break annually signifies somewhat of a mid-point in the Major League Baseball season, the annual trade deadline actually brings more clarity to each team in the Show.
Either your organization is about to make a playoff push, or your team is already kicking the tires to see what can be done to improve their lot next season.
Whatever case each MLB team finds itself in, players are, in many instances, chess pieces this time of the year, and each club is looking for that chess piece to get them to the World Series.
Could Luis Robert Jr. Be On the White Sox Trading Block?
The question of whether or not Luis Robert Jr. is a trade candidate for the Pale Hose isn’t relevant anymore; it’s now only a matter of when the White Sox decide to unload this outfielder to other willing organizations. Louis Robert Jr. is only two seasons away from an All-Star appearance for the American League and yet the past two seasons have certainly not been kind to this center fielder. Yes, Robert is now got his OPS up to .982 in the last 43 plate appearances and he seems to be on a hot streak since coming back from the Ten Day IR list but when you factor in that his batting average has moved up to a paltry .206, his $15 million contract seems to be a large waste of precious team money.
The White Sox hold options on Luis Robert Jr. through the 2026 and 2027 seasons with a $20 million option for each year. For the Sox to unload their erstwhile center fielder, the club will have to eat a $2 million buyout for each season, which means that GM Chris Getz will have to make critical decisions on whether to move Robert this season or hope for a better trade deal in the off-season. However, Luis Robert Jr.’s final guaranteed year ends this season, so the White Sox have considerable trade options on the table.
Will other MLB clubs look at Luis Robert Jr. from the perspective of the beginning of this season, or will they see a player on a recent hot streak who’s also providing decent defense in the outfield?
Reportedly, there are at least eight big league clubs that could use more depth in center field, and with Luis Robert Jr. improving at the plate at a critical time in the season, this fact alone may motivate the White Sox to make a trade deal for Robert before July 31st.
Adrian Houser May Be On His Way to Another Team Before the Trade Deadline
RHP Adrian Houser has been a pleasant surprise for the White Sox since coming over from the Mets this season. The veteran starter spent eight years in the National League with the Brewers and the Mets before coming over to the junior circuit this season, and what a difference a league makes. Houser is now sitting with a solid 6-2 record in 11 starts and with an equally solid 2.10 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP; he makes a compelling trade candidate with a team possibly making a playoff run.
Houser will probably not be looked at as a team’s top rotational pitcher, but his performance with the White Sox so far this season shows that he still has some juice in his throwing arm, and that alone could make him an enticing trade candidate.
Name a team that’s trying to make the postseason who could or would pass on a hurler with a 6-2 record and a low ERA?
Houser makes a strong statement as trade bait for any club that wants to shore up their starting rotation with a veteran pitcher on a hot streak and having a great season.
The sport of baseball is a lot about timing, and Adrian Houser’s time is right now.
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