Chicago White Sox: Conservative trade deadline approach likely scenario

The MLB trade deadline is approaching, but the Chicago White Sox probably won’t be as active as fans would hope.

Coming off of their 7-5 win over the Washington Nationals in which the Chicago White Sox seemed to struggle more than anticipated, there was at least one bright spot in Eloy Jimenez with two RBI, three runs and a 462 foot home run. “I know I’m getting better,” he said to ESPN. “This is pretty much one of my best games, but there’s more to come.” Concluding Tuesday’s game, the Sox are 33-34 and 12 games out of 1st place for the AL Central.

The Sox are obviously still in rebuild mode, but as with any rebuild, the demolition phase gives way to construction which brings into question where the Sox stand in year three of this process.

This time last season the Sox were 20 games under .500 in contrast to where they are now just being 2 games away, so there has definitely been steady gains these past few seasons. Staying the course sounds simple enough, but opportunities such as the upcoming trade deadline cause teams to disrupt their team’s direction in pursuit of dreams of grandeur and trying to make a splash.

“We’re going to have guys who other teams want, and for our standpoint, it’s always going to be about putting us in the best long-term position. We haven’t quite pivoted to just that strictly win now, short-term focus,” Sox General Manager Rick Hahn said to reporters before the team’s home opener.

“It’s going to be interesting because not only do teams sort of have to pick a lane in terms of whether they are buyers or sellers, but the sellers basically have to get their work done sooner rather than later,” Hahn added.

Sox closer Alex Colome has been a name frequently brought up as a player of interest by several teams, but with his 1.83 ERA and just overall stellar play, the team may be better served looking to improve its roster by another means unless a groundbreaking offer is made. Colome has expressed interest in remaining with the team after bouncing around more than he’s cared to, so this may be a situation with mutually beneficial dividends, at least for the moment.

Another potential trade chip mentioned has been Reynaldo Lopez. Looked to be a key piece in the team’s future, Lopez has had a rough start to the year. Yes, he has time to bounce back, but with names like Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech emerging, Lopez is on the verge of being classified as expendable should their upward progression continue. The Sox electing to keep Cease in the minors seems to suggest Lopez may be staying put, but like Colome could be traded for a big enough offer.

First baseman Jose Abreu has been a focal point of the White Sox’s lineup for the past couple of seasons. Although experiencing a decline in most of his averages in 2018, overall Abreu has been one of the most consistent power hitters in baseball and could be one of the more important trade chips from the Sox as they continue focusing on their young talent.

“We look forward to being on the other end of these deals when we’re in a position where it’s time to add because we feel like it’s time to win again, time to win a championship again,” Hahn said before the season.

The obvious fix needed for the Sox is in the bullpen. They have nice pieces already like Colome, Kelvin Herrera, and Aaron Bummer, but as a whole, it is far from perfect. Abreu seems like the obvious choice to bring in more talent but beyond that, the team may play the waiting game to see who emerges as the next viable option.