Unlike last two years, White Sox likely to stand pat at trade deadline
Last season, the White Sox traded closer Joakim Soria to the Brewers for two prospects before the July 31 nonwaiver deadline.
The Sox dealt two more veteran relief pitchers - Luis Avilan and Xavier Cedeno - in August.
Two years ago, the White Sox traded Jose Quintana and six other veterans for young talent in July and proceeded to make two more moves in August.
Correctly identifying a barren minor-league system during the 2016 season, the Sox launched a rebuild and loaded up the farm.
It's starting to pay off.
Yoan Moncada, Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease are already on the major-league roster, Michael Kopech and Dane Dunning are recovering from Tommy John surgeries and impact talents like Luis Robert, Nick Madrigal and Andrew Vaughn are making impressive strides down on the farm.
With the Sox shaping up as likely contenders next season and beyond, they might let Wednesday's deadline come and go without making any moves.
Closer Alex Colome is the White Sox's best trade chip, and he is under contract through next season. All-star first baseman Jose Abreu is likely to sign a contract extension after the season ends and stay on the South Side for two or three more seasons.
"We are going to have guys other teams want," Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "When you are talking about guys who could potentially play a role on the 2020 White Sox, a year we expect to take yet another step forward in the process and start being in the mix for playing in October, the calculus becomes a little more heavily weighted in terms of keeping a guy.
"In the end, this will be about market value. It's going to be about demand for our players and what they are able to potentially bring back and then balancing that off against the value they have to us in a White Sox uniform in 2020."
This year, all trades must be completed by July 31. Under a new rule, deals can no longer be made in August.
At this time the last two seasons, there was a noticeable trade buzz running through the White Sox's clubhouse and veteran players were prepared to change uniforms.
That is not the case this year.
"I hope the core of these guys are still together with us here," manager Rick Renteria said. "I know the time is winding down but I haven't in particular heard anything that would give me pause or make me consider that any of them are going to be gone.
"But I say that selfishly because I love the way they're growing together and doing the things they're doing. To speculate right now, I couldn't give you anything that would be accurate."
If the rebuild does take hold next season, the Sox should actually be looking to add players by the July 31 deadline.
"I'm hoping we can continue to move forward in a positive way as we continue to get through the season," Renteria said. "We've got some really tough clubs we're going to be facing and we've got to be able to battle and do the job that is necessary to keep us holding out heads high and doing well.
"Hopefully, that in and of itself will inspire us to just stand pat with the guys we have and allow the front office to go ahead and do whatever they need to do in order to even bolster who we have. Again, not knowing what the future holds right now, I continue to try to control everything I can and deal with the men I have in front of me."