3 White Sox who aren't on the trade block, but should be

3 White Sox who aren’t on the trade block, but should be

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 18: Jake Burger #30 of the Chicago White Sox, Andrew Vaughn #25, Hanser Alberto #26 and Tim Anderson #7 watch their pitcher warm up during a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Guaranteed Rate Field on May 18, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /

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Jul 14, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Michael Kopech (34) pitches against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

White Sox rumors: Trading Michael Kopech would mean Chicago is going all-in to a rebuild

This kind of trade can only go down if the Chicago White Sox go all in on a rebuild. Moving pieces like Michael Kopech would successfully put Chicago out of playoff contention for the next couple of years as they would have blown their MLB roster to pieces. Moving Kopech wouldn’t come by itself, as it would likely happen alongside multiple other pieces being moved. But on the other side of this roster reshaping is a few years of top draft picks and a farm system filled with talent.

Kopech currently has an ERA north of 4 and a WHIP north of 1.5. His production in 2023 hasn’t been incredible, but his complete value also doesn’t fully come from his statistics this year. His value is blown up when you realize that he still has two more years of arbitration on his contract, giving a team that trades for him some much-needed security with the deal.

The White Sox wouldn’t receive the same haul for Kopech as they would for a piece like Cease or Giolito, but the package could be enough to cause them to go all-in on their rebuild. A trade like this would be risky, as it likely wouldn’t make fans happy right now, but it could very well set Chicago up much better for the future.

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