White Sox “Trades” with EVERY TEAM – AL East Edition – 2021

A long time ago, I was listening to an interview with legendary poker professional Phil Ivey and the interviewer asked the question (paraphrasing) How would you recommend a player learning the game get better the fastest? Phil said something to the effect of (paraphrasing) Buy in to a game at much lower stakes than you would normally play, and then play every single hand for an hour. Try and figure out how you would play all of these different hands in different situations and positions that you are normally taught not to play in. In the spirit of that recommendation from an all-time great, Chorizy and I are going to undertake the exercise of making a White Sox trade with every team in the majors…..this is the AL East Edition.

Tampa Rays

108er: BeefLoaf
White Sox send: Andrew Vaughn, Garrett Crochet, Zack Collins and Alec Hansen
White Sox receive: Blake Snell and Ji-Man Choi
Rationale: Forget the fact that Blake Snell was pissed about being taken out in Game 6 of the World Series, that’s immaterial here. What is material to the Rays is that Snell is going to start making > $10M per year, and for a team that likes to keep their Balance Sheet very clean, that’s a bit much. However, since the deal relative to the market place is pretty spiffy it should be easy for them to shop him. The White Sox would be giving up two substantial prospects here, but Snell is a substantial get for a team in need of high end playoff caliber starting pitchers. Most importantly…..we get Ji-Man Choi. I needs Ji-Man Choi like I needs air to breathe.

New York Yankees

108er: Chorizy-E
White Sox send: Reynaldo Lopez, James Beard
White Sox receive: Gary Sanchez
Rationale: I was a bit surprised to see rumors swirling about the Yankees wanting to move Sanchez and even some hinting at non-tender. I know the defense isn’t all that great and much like our current hitters, he loves to strike out. But he is a power hitting catcher that would only need to work part time for the Sox. The return is much less than it would have been 12 months ago, however, the Yankees seem motivated to move him. A hard throwing pitcher who could end up in their rotation (but more likely in their pen) and a speedy prospect might do the trick.

Toronto Blue Jays

108er: Chorizy-E
White Sox send: Tyler Johnson
White Sox receive: Derek Fisher
Rationale: I know you don’t often want to trade for a 46 year old point guard, but this team can use some veterans with playoff experience. And if it’s only gonna cost a bench player averaging 7 points per game, you do it. Wait, what? These are baseball players? What the hell, let’s make this trade any way.

Baltimore Orioles

108er: BeefLoaf
White Sox send: James Beard and Bailey Horn
White Sox receive: Alex Cobb
Rationale: Cobb is an averagish MLB starting pitcher in the final year of a multi-year deal. He has minimal utility to the Orioles, other than helping them get through 1,400 innings of 2021 baseball (fingers crossed). The White Sox really need a person of this profile and while the cost here appears minimal to the White Sox, it’s just another couple of pre-Rule 5 eligible, young, upside plays that the Orioles can use to further their rebuilding efforts.

Boston Red Sox

108er: Chorizy-E
White Sox send: Carlos Rodon, Benyamin Bailey, and Alec Hansen
White Sox receive: Nathan Eovaldi
Rationale: From what I can tell, the BoSox are not looking to really go after the division in 2021. The Yankees, Rays, and now Blue Jays all seem in a better position. So a pitcher with 2 years and $34 million owed is probably something they’d be wiling to part with. Benyamin Bailey is probably the true centerpiece of the trade with the ChiSox sending a last arb year Rodon and Rule 5 eligible Hansen as pieces to fill in a BoSox roster that will likely be in the bottom half of the division.