White Sox fill black hole at 2B with trade for Cesar Hernandez from Cleveland
The Chicago White Sox have found their second baseman after making a trade with Cleveland for Cesar Hernandez.
After the season-ending injury to Nick Madrigal, second base has been the biggest, and perhaps, the lone weakness for the Chicago White Sox.
Now, ahead of the MLB trade deadline, the White Sox hope they took a big step in strengthening that weakness with the trade of Cleveland’s Cesar Hernandez.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported the trade between the AL Central rivals on the eve of the trade deadline. It also puts to bed the pipe dream of trading for Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story.
The Chicago White Sox are finalizing a deal to acquire second baseman Cesar Hernandez from Cleveland, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 29, 2021
White Sox have long been in the market for a second baseman. And now they get one in the 31-year-old Hernandez, who is hitting .231/.307/.431 with 18 homers.
Left-handed pitcher Konnor Pilkington is going back to Cleveland from Chicago.
LHP Konnor Pilkington is going from Chicago to Cleveland in the César Hernández trade, per sources. @JeffPassan 1st reported about Hernández going to Chicago.
— Daniel Álvarez-Montes (@DanielAlvarezEE) July 29, 2021
Cesar Hernandez fills a big hole at second base for the White Sox
Hernandez will likely hit toward the bottom-third of the Sox order that was buoyed by the return of Eloy Jimenez and the eventual return of Luis Robert in the near future. He has some pop in his bat with 18 home runs on the season. His average leaves a lot to be desired considering he’s slashing .231/.307/.431 but the pop in his bat should give him a nice spot in the eight or nine-hole in the order.
The 31-year-old switch-hitter will be paid $1,747,330 for the remainder of the year. The Sox hold a club option for 2022 but are unlikely to pick that up for $6 million.
Now, the White Sox can focus on acquiring a bullpen arm or two ahead of Friday’s trade deadline.