CHICAGO, IL – JULY 25: Ian Happ #8 of the Chicago Cubs steals a base as Yoan Moncada #10 of the Chicago White Sox takes the throw on July 25, 2017 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Cubs defeated the White Sox 7-2. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
The Chicago White Sox should have scouts watching these five under the radar trade deadline candidates closely.
Mediocrity has attached itself to the 2022 Chicago White Sox like a leech. The team has talent but poor execution of it. The longer they wait to do something, the more likely they are to fall out of the American League Central race and possibly even the wild card hunt.
The White Sox have gotten some good starting pitching and not much else. The offense is a complete mess. The bullpen has not lived up to the billing.
Big name trade candidates out there such as Frankie Montas or Willson Contreras would make sense for them to pursue. What about those players who fly a little further under the radar?
White Sox trade candidate Ian Happ can play a variety of roles
Ian Happ has been the Nutty Professor for the Chicago Cubs while playing a variety of roles for them. Most regularly a left fielder this season, it’s actually center field where he has seen the most action.
The White Sox would likely use him in the corner spots and occasionally on the infield. Happ can give just about any player a day off or allow them to shift to the DH spot to feel a little better rested.
Trades between the White Sox and Cubs aren’t all that uncommon. General Managers in the Midwest must do things differently than the New York Mets and New York Yankees—two geographical rivals who rarely make deals. After all, it was trading Quintana to the Cubs that brought the White Sox Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease.
This trade might not be quite as high-profile. Nonetheless, the Cubs could get a decent enough haul for a versatile outfielder with some power. His extra year of control should also raise the price. Happ isn’t just a rental.