As the worst team in baseball, the Chicago White Sox trade candidates in 2024 have already started to emerge. It’s obvious that Chicago’s season is going nowhere, so long before the trade deadline, White Sox trade rumors have already started. Surprisingly, the White Sox have quite a few viable trade pieces for a team that’s been utterly terrible this season.
White Sox Biggest Trade Chips in 2024
At their current pace, the White Sox will be lucky to win 40 games. That would give them one of the worst records in MLB history. Chicago could be even worse after trading some of the team’s best players.
Nevertheless, the White Sox figure to be active sellers this summer with their fire sale potentially starting sooner rather than later. With that said, let’s not waste any time in looking at the top White Sox trade candidates in 2024.
Erick Fedde
There’s no question that Erick Fedde is Chicago’s most lucrative trade chip this summer. The White Sox signed him to a two-year, $15 million deal this past offseason and Fedde has responded by performing at an all-star level. Despite the White Sox winning just 15 of their first 60 games, Fedde is 4-1 with a 3.27 ERA. Based on his salary, Fedde is arguably the biggest bargain in baseball this year. The fact that he’s also under contract for next season and won’t be just a rental will make him even more valuable in a trade. Of course, the White Sox aren’t set up to compete next season either, so they will surely cash in on Fedde’s value right now and should get a substantial return for him.
Michael Kopech
Just like Fedde, Michael Kopech won’t be a free agent until after the 2025 season, which adds to his value on the trade market this summer. The former starter has an ugly record in his first year pitching out of the bullpen since 2021. However, Kopech has improved his strikeout rate while pitching in shorter outings while also improving his control.
He even has a handful of saves for the White Sox this year. Kopech isn’t likely going to be valued as a closer, but since he’s not a rental player, he will be a good addition for a team looking for bullpen depth.
Eloy Jimenez
Technically, the White Sox have a club option on Eloy Jimenez in each of the next two seasons. But as a rebuilding team, they aren’t going to exercise those options, putting the 27-year-old slugger on the trade block. The bad news for Chicago is that Jimenez has lost some of his value amidst a disappointing season. But we know from his 2022 and 2023 campaigns that Jimenez is capable of being much better than he’s shown.
A change of scenery that puts him in a lineup with a little more protection around him should be good for Jimenez, so the White Sox should be able to find some suitors for him on the trade market.
Chris Flexen
The White Sox signed Chris Flexen to a modest one-year deal this past winter, making him an obvious trade target. His trade value isn’t exactly off the charts with an ERA of 5.19. But he had some good years in Seattle not too long ago.
Flexen is also someone who can pitch as both a starter and a reliever. He’ll be a good depth piece for a contending team to acquire at the trade deadline.
Tommy Pham
For the third straight year, Tommy Pham is likely to be part of a mid-season trade. He joined the Red Sox in 2022 and was traded to the Diamondbacks to be part of their run to the World Series last season. Of course, his numbers aren’t off the charts and you won’t confuse Pham with one of the greatest center fielders of all time. But he’s putting together a solid campaign and brings a lot to the table. Pham has experience and is versatile enough to play all three outfield positions. His bat also brings a little pop. While not a huge trade chip for the White Sox, there should be enough teams interested in him for Chicago to get a solid return for Pham.
