Chicago White Sox: Avisail Garcia trade window opening

Jun 17, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Chicago White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia (26) reacts after a hitting a foul ball in the eighth inning against Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 17, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Chicago White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia (26) reacts after a hitting a foul ball in the eighth inning against Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Once thought to be closing fast, the trade window for Avisail Garcia of the Chicago White Sox is being flung open once again, and it is time for general manager Rick Hahn to act.

Don’t look now, but Chicago White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia is heating up once again, just in time for lighting the pilot light on the in-season hot stove. Garcia has a batting line of .339/.391/.475 in his last 15 games.

After a roaring start to the season, which saw Garcia notch a line of .368/.409/.621 for an eye-popping .253 ISO through April, Garcia looked to be headed back to earth, his ISO seeing a dip of 68 points down to .185 in May, then down another 15 points to .170 in June.

Without that power output, Garcia’s inability to divorce his on-base percentage from his batting average showed through: His wOBA dropped from its .432 figure through April to .366 so far in June.

That said, over his last 15 games, his OBP of .391 is one of the highest Garcia has accrued in any prolonged stretch since that absurd start in April. It was written earlier this season that Garcia had safely descended back to the planet, though it appears the launch pad may be prepped heading toward the All-Star break.

Overall, it appears the White Sox have fully embraced tanking and are 4-6 in their last 10 games, 8-12 in their last 20. Currently the team is positioned for the #5 overall pick in next year’s draft, and aren’t inconceivably distant from a #3 slotting in the entry draft.

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Given the current state of the White Sox and their apparent intention of rebuilding and accruing young, controllable assets, it behooves GM Rick Hahn to once again begin working the phones to find a trade partner for Garcia, or to keep with the metaphor, a re-entry point that isn’t on Chicago’s South Side. At this point, nobody knows how many launchpad ignitions Avisail Garcia’s hull can withstand.