5 Chicago White Sox players who should already be on the radar of contending teams

As the 2023 season quickly goes downhill for the Chicago White Sox, contending teams should be eyeing these five players as trade deadline targets.

Maybe it wasn’t all Tony La Russa’s fault. The curmudgeonly Hall of Fame skipper was an easy scapegoat (and pin cushion) for all the Chicago White Sox problems last season before a medical hiatus that turned into him calling it quits and retiring.

Before winning their second straight game in walk-off fashion Tuesday night, the White Sox had lost 10 games in a row. Their run differential is third-worst in all of baseball entering Wednesday’s action (-64), only better than the Kansas City Royals (-68) and the Oakland Athletics (-118). At 9-21 entering Wednesday night against the Minnesota Twins, the Pale Hose are quickly moving into seller territory well ahead of the trade deadline.

The core of this team under first-year manager Pedro Grifol, injury absences aside, is still pretty much the same as the core that won 93 games and the AL Central under La Russa in 2022. But, in another sense, it’s easy to see that this group of players is not a good fit together, and Grifol’s lack of managerial experience isn’t necessarily helping.

The White Sox might not yet be starting a fire sale, but these five players should be on the radar of contending teams as the trade deadline creeps closer and closer.

5 Chicago White Sox players who should be on the radar of contending teams

3. RP Reynaldo Lopez

Lopez’s surface results are ugly thus far in 2023, and ugly might not be a big enough word (8.76 ERA, 7.06 FIP, five home runs allowed and six walks over 12.1 innings entering Wednesday). He left his most recent outing with a bicep issue but, as of this writing, he is not expected to be put on the IL.

Lopez’s strikeout rate is a career-high right now (33.3 percent) as is his fastball velocity (99.2 MPH). But he’s had a bad combo of walks (10.5 percent walk rate), with more hard contact and flyballs when hitters do make contact. That’s all a hard reversal from 2021 and 2022, when he walked just 5.3 percent of the batters he faced, with a fly ball rate below 39.5 percent both seasons and 0.8 HR/9 rate allowed over the span.

Lopez is on a cheap contract ($3.625 million) in his last arbitration year, and his raw stuff is still there despite this year’s rough first month-ish. Maybe the bicep issue, IL stint or not, allows him to have a little rest and a reset.

2. SS Tim Anderson

Let’s go a little aggressive here. Anderson is a fan favorite on the South Side, and there’s no denying his talent level. But he was just activated off the IL on Tuesday after missing about three weeks with a left knee sprain, and his list of lower body injuries over the last few seasons is extensive (right ankle, right groin, left hamstring, groin). Approaching his 30th birthday (June 23), he’s unlikely to suddenly become a picture of health.

Per-162 games over the last three plus seasons, counting 12 games this year and with a caveat of the shortened 2020, Anderson is averaging 20 home runs, 68 RBI and 25 stolen bases with a .308/.341/.454 slash-line over the span. But he played just 79 games in 2022, 123 in 2021 and he’s already missed 18 games this year.

Anderson is making $12.5 million this year, with a $14 million club option for next year. The White Sox probably won’t actively shop him, but a contending team or two may very well come with a trade offer that can’t be turned down. The White Sox top prospect is also a shortstop, 2021 first-round pick Colson Montgomery, who may be ready for the big leagues in 2024.

So, all in all, the idea of trading Anderson is not that outlandish if he can stay on the field in the coming weeks.

1. SP Lucas Giolito

Giolito was one of the best pitchers in the American League, and all of baseball, from 2019-2021 (3.47 ERA, 30.8 percent strikeout rate, eight percent walk rate), as he earned one All-Star nod and got Cy Young votes in all three seasons.

2022 was quite a fall from that peak, a loud thud even. He had a 4.90 ERA over 30 starts (161.2 innings), with diminished fastball velocity and strikeout/walk rates that both moved in the wrong direction enough to be noticeable. A .340 BABIP allowed pointed to some bad luck, and a 4.06 FIP confirms it.

Giolito is back in the right direction so far this year, with a 4.15 ERA over his first six starts (34.2 innings) and highlighted by a career-best 4.1 percent walk rate.

Giolito is in his last year under contract, making a fairly reasonable $10.4 million. The White Sox could decide to hang onto him, and give him a qualifying offer in the offseason to make sure they get a compensatory draft pick if he leaves as a free agent. That’s a fly in the ointment to the idea of trading him.

That said, Giolito might be the top starting pitcher who has any chance to be available at the trade deadline. The White Sox can always turn away interest, but general manager Rick Hahn should expect calls to come from a few contenders unless Giolito goes completely in the tank soon.