The Chicago White Sox are poised to be one of the biggest sellers at the MLB trade deadline, with Luis Robert and Garrett Crochet among the most coveted players available. While trades are weeks away from happening, the White Sox are taking one big step toward a deal.
Chicago already signaled its approach to the MLB trade deadline months ago, when it traded starting pitcher Dylan Cease to the San Diego Padres for a package of prospects. Ahead of that deal, the White Sox had spent weeks evaluating the Padres top prospects, ultimately agreeing to a return headlined by Drew Thorpe and Jairo Iriarte.
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Fast forward to the summer and the most common names popping up in White Sox rumors are Robert, Crochet, Paul DeJong, Erick Fedde, Michael Kopech and Andrew Vaughn. While extensive trade talks with clubs haven’t started, Chicago is keeping a close eye on a few potential trade partners.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported on Tuesday, the White Sox have sent their top scouts out across the country in recent weeks to evaluate the farm systems of the Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners.
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Los Angeles, San Diego and Seattle have all shown interest in multiple players on the White Sox roster. Specifically, the Dodgers have an interest in both Crochet and Robert, while the Padres are targeting Crochet. The Mariners are believed to be looking at Chicago’s hitters.
While it’s only part of the process for Chicago and there are no guarantees a trade is made, the emphasis being put on scouting the Dodgers top prospects and the Mariners top prospects is notable. San Diego, Seattle and Los Angeles all have the depth in their farm system and the top prospects to pull off a trade for Crochet or Robert.
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For now, the White Sox are in the exploratory phase of trade talks and no deal is imminent. It also remains possible that even if Chicago is high on the Padres top prospects or the Mariners top prospects, the asking price in a trade for Robert or Crochet will be high enough that Seattle, Los Angeles and San Diego all look elsewhere.