Through the first half of the season, the Chicago White Sox have put themselves in an intriguing and somewhat surprising position.
At 47-42, they sit atop the AL Central with the third best record in the entire American League. Their impressive turnaround is of course far from finished, but if the White Sox want to complete their season by going from worst to first in the division and making their first postseason appearance in five years, they will likely have to bolster the roster by adding at the trade deadline.
With less than a month until the August 3 deadline, Chicago's most pressing need of pitching, both starting and relief, has already become clear. It is always tough to know for certain who the sellers will be until the last moment, but the wide-open nature of the American League this year makes it especially difficult.
With that said, there is one team that looks better suited to trade away some high-profile arms that would fit the White Sox perfectly. The last-place Boston Red Sox are still clinging onto hopes of a playoff push, but even if they are just a stone's throw from contention they will likely try to move on from veteran pitchers Aroldis Chapman and Sonny Gray.
In a July 6 article from The Athletic, Jim Bowden named the White Sox as a potential suitor for one, if not both Red Sox pitchers at the deadline.
Both Chapman (38) and Gray (36) are having fantastic seasons for their struggling side and figure to be obvious trade candidates given their age and lack of team control into next season.
For Chapman, it would be a return to Chicago where he helped the Cubs win their first World Series in 2016, breaking the 108-year championship drought. Despite his advanced age, the flamethrowing lefty has been at his very best over the last year and a half in Boston, posting a 1.53 ERA across 95 appearances, converting on 50 of 54 save opportunities, and earning back-to-back All-Star nods with the Red Sox.
Gray may be the more unlikely of the two to be traded, but not because of his play on the field. The right-hander has been dominant, leading the American League in wins with a 10-1 record and a 2.61 ERA.
The difficulty in trading for Gray will be with his contract, which on top of having a no-trade clause includes $10 million remaining for this season along with another $10 million buyout on his $30 million mutual option for 2027. It's a hefty price tag, but the Red Sox could be willing to eat some cash in order to maximize their return of prospects should Gray agree to be moved.
