MLB trade rumors: Each team’s best trade chip

Chicago White Sox: Jose Quintana

The White Sox have to be kicking themselves for not tearing it all down to the ground and auctioning Jose Quintana off along with Chris Sale and Adam Eaton. The logic for holding him past the Winter Meetings is understandable. Quintana has been a dependable workhorse and waiting until the trade deadline to move him would conceivably allow Chicago to prey on the desperation of contenders in need of a starting pitcher to extract more elite prospects.

Things have not gone according to plan this year for the left-hander. He is 2-7 with a 5.60 ERA in his first 11 starts with the worst HR/9 and BB/9 marks of his career. Quintana’s first three starts of the year were clunkers. He managed to right the ship briefly with a 2.70 ERA over his next six starts. After beginning to look like himself, Quintana proceeded to allow 15 earned run in only seven innings against the Diamondbacks and Red Sox.

Even with the poor results so far this year, Quintana will still spark plenty of interest on the trade market. He has a great career track record and is still striking out hitters at a career-high rate in 2017. In addition to their ace, the White Sox have several other pieces that will be hot commodities over the next two months. Expect Todd Frazier, Miguel Gonzalez, Derek Holland, Dave Robertson, and Melky Cabrera to be on the move.