The Chicago White Sox have been one of Major League Baseball’s most active teams as the trade deadline approaches next week, sending out a total of five pitchers in three separate transactions.
In the process, the White Sox have racked up prospects for their farm system, and are aiming to position themselves to return to a competitive level in 2024.
Here is a blow-by-blow recap of the White Sox moves, and the players that they received in return.
7/26
In their first move, the White Sox sent pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for prospects Edgar Quero and Ky Bush.
Giolito, originally acquired in the Adam Eaton trade by the White Sox, is having a strong season, as he posted a 3.79 ERA in 21 starts for the club. He is slotted to become a free agent at season’s end, and will likely be one of the top arms available on the market.
López was also acquired by the White Sox in that trade, and has transitioned into a relief role in recent years, with a 4.29 ERA in 43 appearances with Chicago this season.
Quero, a catcher, immediately became the team’s second-ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Bush, a left-handed pitcher, became their sixth-ranked prospect.
Quero is a switch-hitting catcher who hit some speed bumps in his first year in Double-A, with three home runs and 35 RBI’s. He did only have a .246 average in the Angels’ system, but his .386 on-base percentage is certainly appealing, as he draws a ton of walks.
Bush has only appeared in a total of nine games this season, with a 1-5 record and a 8.37 ERA in those contests. He has been dealing with some injury issues throughout the season, with an oblique causing him issues during the first half of the campaign.
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Last season he had a 7-4 record in 21 starts with Rocket City, and he’s hoping to find that form again in Chicago’s system.
7/28
The Los Angeles Dodgers came calling for pitching help from the White Sox, and they got it in the form of starter Lance Lynn and reliever Joe Kelly.
Lynn has had some struggles this season, giving up 28 home runs in 119.2 innings, but he is a fierce competitor who will aim to bolster the back-end of the Dodgers’ rotation as they make another run for a playoff spot.
Kelly has had an up-and-down season for the South Siders, with a 4.97 ERA in 31 appearances. He had some serious success in Los Angeles during his career there, including a key role in the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series triumph.
In exchange, the White Sox brought back outfielder Trayce Thompson, who is now in his third stint with the club. He is currently on the injured list with an oblique strain, having hit five home runs and driven in 14 RBI’s in 71 at-bats this season.
Right-handed pitcher Nick Nastrini is likely the star attraction here, now ranking No. 4 in the White Sox farm system according to MLB Pipeline. He has a 5-3 record with a 4.03 ERA in 17 starts this season with Double-A Tulsa, and has 85 strikeouts in 73.2 innings of work.
Relief pitcher Jordan Leasure, now No. 26 in the White Sox system, also came over to the South Siders. He has a 2-2 record in 29 appearances, with a 3.09 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 35 innings for Double-A Tulsa this season.
The White Sox also made a deal with the Houston Astros, sending reliever Kendall Graveman to the defending champions.
Graveman, who was with Houston in 2021 for the stretch run, has a 3.48 ERA in 45 appearances this season, with 42 strikeouts in 44 innings.
More importantly for the Astros, he also is under team control through the end of next season after signing a three-year deal with the Sox prior to the 2022 campaign.
The White Sox added another catcher in this deal when they acquired Korey Lee, who now ranks No. 13 in their system according to MLB Pipeline.
Lee has spent this season at Triple-A, with five home runs, 32 RBI’s and 12 stolen bases. He also has a .283 batting average, and made his MLB debut in 2022 with the Astros.
