Let’s Make a Deal: What Players Could the Twins Acquire from the Chicago White Sox?

[Matthew Taylor]

As the 2024 MLB trade deadline approaches, the Minnesota Twins find themselves in a position to bolster their roster for a potential playoff push. One of the more intriguing trade partners could be the Chicago White Sox.

 

The 2024 Chicago White Sox are in the midst of one of the worst baseball seasons that we have seen in recent memory. Chicago currently sits with an MLB-worst record of 17-51 and owns the worst offense and second worst pitching in baseball.

While trades within the division are rare, they are not unprecedented. History has shown us that when one team is significantly out of contention, deals can be made, even with a division rival. Notable examples include Roger Clemens being traded from the Toronto Blue Jays to the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners sending Cliff Lee to the Texas Rangers. The White Sox would certainly represent a team that is so far out of a contending window that they should be willing to trade with any team, even one that resides in its own division.

With the White Sox struggling this season and clearly in a rebuilding mode, the Twins might find some valuable pieces to enhance their chances of making a deep postseason run. Here are a few players from the White Sox that could pique the Twins' interest, broken down by position:

Hitters

Luis Robert is obviously the name at the top of the list for the Chicago White Sox in terms of star power and potential. A previous top-5 prospect in the world, the only thing that has kept Robert down since making the Big Leagues is injury. Healthy now, Robert represents the biggest trade chip that the White Sox have.

While Robert joining the Twins would be exciting, it’s hard to come up with a scenario in which this happens. Not only are the White Sox unlikely to trade a player of Robert’s caliber to it’s rival, but with Byron Buxton already manning center field, there really isn’t a scenario in which this would happen.

Gavin Sheets is a name that could pique the Twins’ interest. Sheets is a 28-year-old left-handed corner outfielder for the Twins who has a 121 OPS+ on the season. Left handed bats are a big area of need for the Twins that Sheets could certainly fill. Additionally, Sheets won’t hit arbitration until next season so he is affordable and controllable and could fill Max Kepler’s spot in right field for the next few years if he keeps up his play at the plate. Given that he is young and cheap, Sheets would probably be a bit more costly than a rental player, but that might be a sacrifice this Front Office is willing to make for a higher-upside player.

If the Twins wanted to find a cheaper rental on an expiring contract, they could look the way of a right handed corner outfielder that they were tied to at times this offseason, Tommy Pham. Pham is a right handed outfielder who has a 110 OPS+ this season with an extremely impressive .864 OPS against southpaws. Pham could replace Margot on the roster as a right-handed 4th/5th outfielder, but with the tear that Margot has been on they may just prefer to stay the course with that position. Pham is currently on the injured list, but is slated to return within the week.

Starting Pitchers

For a pitching staff that ranks second to last in baseball in ERA, the White Sox surprisingly have a few intriguing starting pitchers that they will consider trading at the trade deadline.

Garrett Crochet has been the ace of the White Sox pitching staff this season, boasting a 3.33 ERA to go along with a 12.3 K/9, the highest strikeout rate in the Majors. At just 24-years-old, Crochet is currently in his first year of arbitration with two more years of control still remaining. Crochet is bound to fetch a fortune on the trade market this season and, similar to Robert, the White Sox are unable to deal such a name to the rival Twins.

A starting pitcher more likely to be dealt to the Minnesota Twins is another starting pitcher having an excellent year for the White Sox, Erick Fedde. A relative unknown who struggled in the Majors for years before skipping last season to play in Korea, Fedde has been outstanding for the Sox this season with a team-best 3.10 ERA in just over 80 innings. Because of his age and lack of pedigree, Fedde wouldn’t command the same price as other top trade targets, but could provide the Minnesota Twins with a 5th starter to provide the Twins with depth in the rotation.

Relievers

In the bullpen Michael Kopech could be an intriguing name for the Twins to look at. By all accounts he is having a terrible year in the bullpen with a 4.94 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP, but there are reasons to believe that the Twins could target the right hander and turn him around. Kopech was once a top-10 global MLB prospect and he did experience some success as a starting pitcher as recently as 2022. Kopech boasts a fastball that touches triple digits, but has struggled with a secondary pitch. If the Twins can tinker with Kopech’s slider, they could turn him into a potentially dominant reliever for an affordable price.

Another reliever option would be Steven Wilson, who the White Sox acquired in their trade of Dylan Cease this offseason. Wilson has been a dominant reliever throughout his short MLB career and started off the season well, with a 2.84 ERA and 9.0 K/9 in 19 innings. Wilson is just 29-years-old and still has three years of team control after this one, so his price could well be steep, but the payoff could be strong for the team that acquires him down the stretch. 

Even though the White Sox are a terrible baseball team, they still have several names that figure to be of interest for the Minnesota Twins this offseason. Which name from the Chicago White Sox interests you the most? Leave a comment below and start the conversation.

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[Tibs]

The most I'll give up for a player in the White Sox organization is a bag of waterlogged baseballs

[tony&rodney]

The White Sox have some talented players who may be changing uniforms at the end of July. I'm just having a hard time seeing the Twins involved unless the deal heavily favors them. Teams trading good players usually are attempting to add a treasure trove of prospects who are likely to be solid MLB athletes. Additionally, the Twins face a bit of a crunch next season in terms of roster salaries which would likely preclude adding any significant dollars in a deal this year. If the Twins were to add anyone from the Southsiders, my aim would be Crochet. Who goes the other way? Not sure what the Sox want or the Twins are willing to check off on.

[Ricky Vaughn]

Probably not rational but I don't want the Twins giving the Sox anything that has the remotest chance of coming back to bite us in our backside.

[LambchoP]

Robert Jr is too expensive for us and we don't need another oft injured outfielder. I'd say Crochet would be the biggest get, just not sure what the Sox want in return. Twins need starting pitching more than anything. If we don't get a playoff caliber starter, we don't stand a chance even IF we make the playoffs. Crochet or Luzardo would pair great with Lopez and Ryan.

[Linus]

Sheets might be interesting. The Twins need to come up with 2 corner outfielders and he would fit in the budget. 

[Road trip]

"but with the tear that Margot has been on of late, they may just prefer to stay the course with that position. "

This made me laugh, cry, and sigh in resignation.   Margot is 1 for his last 11.  But yeah, the Twins are committed to him...

 

[LA Vikes Fan]

While I would love to pick up Crochet or Robert, I think the chances of it us getting either are very small and the cost would be very high. Those guys are probably going to cost us at least one and maybe two of our Top 100 global prospects, something like Lee or Emma plus Festa or Gonzalez, plus some solid AA guys. That's just too high a price and too good a player to be given to a division rival. The only way we get a shot at a guy like that if the White Sox trade him to another team who then trades them to us. I'm not thrilled with giving up much for Fedde. He very well may be a one-year wonder coming over from the KBO after originally not making it here. Plus, he is probably get a cost at least a Luke Keschall plus kind of package. 

Gavin Sheets does sound interesting. Maybe he could be had for a package of two or three solid but not top prospects. Say Zebbie Matthews or Marco Raya plus De Andrade, and may be adding in an A ball lottery ticket Something like that. We are going to have need in the corner OF next year unless Kepler is re-signed. Right now, were looking at starting two from the group of Castro, Larnach, Wallner, and Martin. There's not much else in AAA other than maybe Keirsey and Emma is more of a mid-2025 guy I think. I like to keep Castro in the utility role. He's great in that role and his bat plays there, not sure if it plays up enough to be an every day corner outfielder. . Playing two of the other three every day strikes me as a major crapshoot. I would definitely inquire on Sheets and at least see if he can be had for a reasonable price. By the way, I'd also be checking in wiht the Angels on Tyler Anderson and Taylor Ward pretty much every week.

[jorgenswest]

How much more likely is Sheets to have a better career going forward than Larnach, Kirilloff or Wallner? 

Sheets: age 28, free agent 2028, .703 career OPS

Kirilloff: 26, 2028, .721 (about 1.5 years younger than Sheets)

Larnach: 27, 2028, .710

Wallner: 26, .813, 2029 or 2030?

[LA Vikes Fan]

Good point. There's a certain recency bias built in since Sheets is having a much better year this year than the other 3. It makes you think that Sheets is more of an "established" player than the other 3. Still, I feel like Sheets is more of a known quantity breaking out. Larnach may be that as well this year. Wallner and Kirilloff are more suspect as MLB hitters, especially Kirilloff. Plus Sheets is a decent OF, has a higher OBP, strikes out more like 20% of the time rather than 30%, and has a better all around game. Kirilloff and Larnach are adequate at best in the OF. Wallner is a boom or bust hitter, but a decent OF. I just like Sheets' all around game better.

Unless we re-sign Kepler we are looking for 2 corner OFs for next year. Adding Sheets gives us one more option there and I think he's likely to be within the top 2 if you add the other 3.   

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

We are going to have need in the corner OF next year unless Kepler is re-signed. 

Or some other free agent is signed. But you don't make a deadline deal for next year's outfielder.

[mike8791]

Interesting article!  The Sox have some nice talent.  Sheets and Crochet should be the only targets but being in the same division, the Sox would want a ton for either one - and Falvey is the last guy to wind up as top bidder.

While a corner outfielder would be nice insurance, the Twins have a decent basket of players who can fill the bill, even if Kepler is allowed to leave.  Two of Larnach, Kirillof, Wallner, Castro, or Martin are likely to be at least average performers in the corners and while not world-beaters, offer enough potential that going big for another OF seems superfluous.  Ditto with Santana/Miranda and 1B.

No, the real need is for another starter, one who at the very least can slot in ahead of Ober, SWR and Paddock.  There is one candidate - Luzardo of Miami - who has a reasonable chance of doing just that.   The fact he's having a down year could work to the Twins advantage in terms of retaining their top 5 prospects.  We can put a nice package together with one of our surplus OFs(Larnach,  Kirillof, Martin or Wallner), a young pitcher(Varland would be my choice, but we have some intriguing minor league arms not named Festa or Mathews that Miami might want, and then someone like Camargo (Miami is in desperate straits for a catcher) or Gonzales  to complete the deal.

Get Luzardo and we might even be able  to advance past the first or (gasp) even possibly the second round of the playoffs.  As the rotation stands now, we have exactly 2 starters who can provide a reasonable chance of keeping a playoff game close - and neither Ryan nor Lopez are sure bets. 

[MABB1959]

Stand pat and give the guys who are waiting a place first.  NO MORE RETrEADS

[jorgenswest]

In the outfield Gavin Sheets is a career -20 DRS and -11 OOA across 1506 innings and at first base in 410 innings it is -4 and -3. Larnach is +8, +1 in 1473 innings. Kirilloff -3, -8 in 758 (-10, -7, 939 innings at 1B).

If you scale to the same number of innings I see little difference. Neither Kirilloff or Sheets has been a good fielder.

Sheets is a year and a half older and better than Kirilloff in the too small sample so far this season. I don’t think there is anything in the data to suggest that he will be better the remainder of his career.

[short ornery norwegian]

any trade possibilities have to be looked at in the prism of the Twins' payroll.  this is not meant as an anti-Pohlad rant - but just facing reality.  Ownership cut the payroll $30-million.  Next year, odds are very good that their local TV revenue will be even less than this year.  So figure that the payroll stays the same.  

Crochet is currently at $800,000 a year but has two years of arbitration coming.  so not bad in terms of salary, but the question is how much would the Twins have to pay in terms of prospects?   Sheets is also in the $750,000 range with 3 arbitration years ahead.  again, salary is fine, so the question is what do the Twins have to give up.  I would be more willing to part with prospects for a pitcher as opposed to a position player.  

[ApprenticeOfLayton]

Gonna take a king's ransom to outbid serious contenders with deeper farm systems like Baltimore or LA, and that's before considering the exorbitant divisional rival tax we'd likely have to pay in addition. At that point I'd rather just pay a comparable price to go after Luzardo, a more proven number 2 starter than Crochet (albeit with fewer seasons of club control) and with a less dicey injury history than Robert. I'd even prefer higher-impact lower-cost rentals for the staff like Kikuchi or the plethora of Angels relievers to any of the Sox's club-controlled role players or bullpen arms that I don't see moving our needle much, especially if they come with the risk of potentially seeing one or more of our prospects haunt us for years on our most traditionally despised division rival. Too costly for the risk and available alternatives, at least from the armchair im playing GM in.

[tony&rodney]

Hard to see the Twins even thinking about Sheets. Santana, Miranda, Kepler, Castro, Larnach, Kirilloff, Wallner, Martin, and more are already in the organization.

[Hrbeks Divot]

The one common thread in all of these “Let’s make a Deal” articles is that the authors mention the Twine tinkering with a pitcher to make him more effective. I’m not saying the Twins wouldn’t be able to take a different approach to unlock something but I doubt it’s going to take place in the half season leading up to the playoffs when they’ll need them most. I don’t think we’re close enough to be considered a contending team with the uneven season we’ve had so far. IF we are going to make a trade I think a mid rotation starter or better is really what we need right now. To get that we’re going to be looking at giving up a Jenkins, a Lee, a Rodriguez, a Lee or a combo of some of them. Unless the team has plans of increasing the payroll again in the coming seasons I see no way we can afford to trade prospects and pay big time pitchers that we haven’t developed.  If we go on a tear for the next month and it looks like we’re one player away I’d consider a big name pitcher at that point and I’d be willing to pay for that pitcher in prospect capital.

[High heat]

I think the only one that makes sense is Michael Kopech if the Twins see something they can tweak.  
 

Robert’s is great when healthy but Sox aren’t trading him to us.  Crochet has been awesome for 2 1/2 months but my goodness what you would have to pay to get him, I’m not sure that’s an option.

Is Sheets any better then Wallner or Larnach?  I’m not exactly sure.  
 

Kopech you might be able to get for a reasonable price and if you could tweak secondary stuff to go with 100 mph fastball he could be dominate with Jax and Duran.

 

 

[tony&rodney]

19 minutes ago, High heat said:

Kopech you might be able to get for a reasonable price and if you could tweak secondary stuff to go with 100 mph fastball he could be dominate with Jax and Duran.

 

I have always liked Kopech but he has not been able to turn the corner yet. Kopech would slot in behind Duran, Jax, Stewart (hopefully he returns in August or September), Alcala, and Staumont. By September both Paddack and Varland may bolster the bullpen as well. That (potentially) makes seven right-handed relief pitchers ahead of Kopech. 

I like your idea of adding him for a nominal price but it seems like a reach between the Sox and Twins.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

I'd like Kopech but I think some team will wind up overpaying for him. Relievers will be a hot commodity.

[DJL44]

4 hours ago, mike8791 said:

No, the real need is for another starter, one who at the very least can slot in ahead of Ober, SWR and Paddock.

If they're going to bump a pitcher out of the rotation it makes sense to send them in return.

3 hours ago, short ornery norwegian said:

Ownership cut the payroll $30-million.  Next year, odds are very good that their local TV revenue will be even less than this year. 

That's depressing. The Twins have the worst local TV contract of any team in the MLB, NBA or NHL and you think they're going to negotiate a deal that's even worse going forward?

[Mike Sixel]

Now they need left handed bats? We've given up on Julien and Wallner? I just didn't get this thought at all you'd trade for a LH corner OF. Not even a little.