Los Angeles Dodgers: Julio Urias Available for Chris Sale
By Tj Porreca
The Los Angeles Dodgers are among the teams interested in White Sox ace Chris Sale. In order to get Sale, the Dodgers are reportedly willing to trade prized lefty Julio Urias.
Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale has been in the news in recent days for reasons other than trade speculation. Sale is currently suspended, and his actions have caused some to wonder if he is trying to force Chicago to trade him.
The White Sox have reportedly set quite a high asking price for Sale. Chicago at one point wanted five top prospects in exchange for Sale. It remains to be seen if the ChiSox will deal Sale, and, if they do, how much they will get in return. However, a playoff contender with a prized prospect in its arsenal is reportedly eyeing Sale.
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Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported on Monday that the Los Angeles Dodgers have such a high level of interest in acquiring Sale that they would be willing to include top prospect Julio Urias in the trade. As Sherman points out, the Dodgers weren’t willing to include Urias in talks last season, when the Philadelphia Phillies were shopping Cole Hamels. Hamels, of course, was ultimately dealt to the Texas Rangers.
The Rangers, interestingly enough, are one of the teams mulling the acquisition of Sale from Chicago at this year’s deadline. However, to this point, Texas has been unwilling to include both Joey Gallo and Jurickson Profar in a package. If the Dodgers would indeed include Urias, it would likely position them well to acquire Sale.
Obviously, Urias alone wouldn’t tempt Chicago to trade Sale. But the Dodgers are one of a few teams with a system deep enough to acquire Sale. If the White Sox covet pitching in return for their ace, the Dodgers’ system is the place to look. The Dodgers’ top four prospects, as rated by MLB Pipeline, are all pitchers: Urias, Jose De Leon, Grant Holmes, and Frankie Montas.
The hype surrounding Urias was extremely high when he debuted, but he endured some struggles. Nevertheless, he is just 19 years-old, and he has massive potential. There have, however, been questions about whether Urias is better suited long-term in the bullpen. If the White Sox were to acquire Urias, he would become their top prospect immediately.
Sale, for both his ace-level talent, and cheap contract make him a hard piece to trade. But there has been drama between Sale and the team. Even before the jersey incident, Sale clashed with Kenny Williams over the handling of the Adam LaRoche situation. Maybe a split is best for both parties. In that case, no one can blame the White Sox for wanting the best-possible return. Sale is under contract next season for just $12 million, and then his contract carries team options for 2018 and 2019, at $12.5 million and $13.5 million, respectively.
The Dodgers are currently without Clayton Kershaw, so acquiring Sale would bring an ace back to their staff in the immediacy. Also, the thought of Kershaw and Sale eventually in the same rotation has to be daunting for opposing teams. If it comes at the cost of Urias plus others, the Dodgers may simply consider that the cost of doing business.
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The key factor from the Dodgers’ perspective is Sale’s contract. If Sale is acquired at this season’s deadline, Los Angeles would have him for the rest of this season, plus potentially the next three years. For a team that lost Zack Greinke in free agency, that is surely enticing. Urias and others may become stars in the future, but Sale is a star right now. For a Dodgers’ team trying to get over the hump, that may be the rationale if a trade comes together.