MLB Trade Deadline: 30 players most likely to move

24. Anthony Swarzak, RP, Chicago White Sox

One of several White Sox relievers sure to receive attention before the trade deadline, Anthony Swarzak has been outstanding in his first season in Chicago.

Prior to joining the White Sox, Swarzak posted a mediocre-to-bad 4.52 career ERA in seven major league seasons. He had a sub-3.00 ERA only once, his first full season as a reliever, with the Twins in 2013. Swarzak signed a minor league free agent deal with the South Siders prior to spring training, and impressed enough to break camp with the big league club. He’s done more than impress since.

Pitching anywhere from the fifth to ninth innings, Swarzak has made 35 appearances, during which he has posted a 2.41 ERA, 2.18 FIP and 1.000 WHIP in 41 innings. He has struck out 43 hitters and walked just 11, while allowing only 30 hits, including only one home run. As a result, Swarzak is on pace to set career marks with 6.6 hits allowed per nine innings, 0.2 home runs per nine, and 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings. His 2.4 walks allowed per nine is also slightly better than his career average (2.6).

Swarzak is making just $900,000 this year, and will be a free agent after the season. He’s done an outstanding job of missing bats, as FanGraphs’ Jeff Sullivan pointed out in a May article titled “One Guy Gets More Chases Than Andrew Miller,” which explains just how dominant Swarzak was during the first two months of the season. He’s been good since as well. In 19 games since Sullivan’s post, Swarzak has a 3.38 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 21.1 innings.

All told, the 31-year-old right-hander should bring back a low-to-mid level prospect for the rebuilding White Sox this summer.