The Chicago White Sox have made the first big splash of baseball's offseason, as they've sent pitcher Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox in a blockbuster trade.
The deal, first reported by MLB Network's Ken Rosenthal and confirmed by USA Today's Bob Nightengale, signals the start of a rebuilding process for the White Sox and will give them some excellent prospects for the future.
"We cannot thank Chris enough for all he has done and what he has meant for the White Sox organization since we drafted him in 2010," White Sox G.M. Rick Hahn said in a statement. "We certainly wish he and his family all the best."
The White Sox will receive top Red Sox prospect Yoan Moncada in the trade, along with three other players. The White Sox will also receive pitchers Michael Kopech and Victor Diaz from the Red Sox, and outfielder Luis Basabe is part of the package as well.
"When you trade a player of Chris Sale's aability, it can only be because we were motivated by an impactful return of young talent, and we have more than accomplished that," Hahn said. "We believe each of these players can be part of a quality core of future championship-caliber White Sox teams."
Moncada, ranked as the number three prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America, is a five-tool player that has had scouts drooling for years. In two minor league seasons, the versatile player has 23 home runs, 100 RBI, and 94 stolen bases, immediately giving the White Sox a solid center field option that can hit for power and steal bases.
Kopech is a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher who was clocked at 105 MPH earlier this year. In his three seasons of minor league ball, Kopech has a 2.61 ERA and has struck out 11.5 hitters per nine innings.
Chicago Baseball
Diaz is a lower-tier prospect who struggled at the single-A level last season, with a 3.88 ERA and a 2-5 record in 37 appearances. Basabe has had a solid career at single-A, with 12 home runs and 53 RBI in 474 plate appearances last season.
