Chicago White Sox News: 2024 core players identified

As the Chicago White Sox embark on being sellers at the 2023 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline, there has been plenty of discussion regarding what type of moves the team will look to make.

At first glance, there was a belief that the White Sox were only going to be trading players on expiring contracts at the deadline. That group would have undoubtedly been led by veteran starting pitchers Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito.

We’re now in the middle of the Major League Baseball All-Star break and the White Sox sell-off at the deadline appears to be extending beyond the players on expiring contracts.

Most notably, shortstop Tim Anderson likely has emerged as a player that the White Sox are looking to move. The White Sox hold a $14MM club option on Anderson for the 2024 season but comments made by the shortstop this season would seem to suggest that he is looking for an exit from the team.

Trading Anderson may prove to be a difficult task for the White Sox considering the struggles that the shortstop has had on the field. Anderson has yet to homer this season while having a slash line of .223/.259/.263 with a wRC+ of 43.

For the White Sox, moving on from Anderson will signal the firm closing of their contention window. Anderson was the face of the rebuild for the White Sox and in the 2021 season, after his walk-off home run against the New York Yankees in the first-ever Field of Dreams game, he seemed to be on the verge of being one of the faces of Major League Baseball.

Now, the White Sox are hoping a team targets Anderson at the deadline with the belief that a change of scenery will reignite his career.

So, if Anderson is not a part of the White Sox’s core moving forward, who is?

The Chicago White Sox have identified their next core.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic was able to provide some insight into that question.

"Right-hander Dylan Cease, who has two additional years of club control? The White Sox will listen, as all clubs do on virtually all players, but would need to be overwhelmed. The way team officials see it, they could bring back a core next season that includes Cease, fellow righty Michael Kopech, All-Star center fielder Luis Robert Jr., designated hitter Eloy Jiménez and first baseman Andrew Vaughn, plus righty Kendall Graveman and other relievers. In the weak AL Central, the White Sox presumably would stand a chance.-Ken Rosenthal via The Athletic"

The fact that the White Sox could very easily find themselves as contenders next season in the weak American League Central division is what makes them one of the more fascinating teams to follow at the deadline.

Can general manager Rick Hahn thread the needle in a way that he is able to acquire talent at the deadline that will restabilize the team and their hopes of contending in 2024? Whether or not that is the right direction for the White Sox to take can be debated but it seems inevitable given that Hahn will likely keep his title after this season.