MLB Rumors: White Sox warming up to trading once-untouchable piece

The Chicago White Sox are increasingly likely to trade shortstop Tim Anderson, per reports. 

The Chicago White Sox are 41-58 and rapidly falling out of contention in the lowly AL Central. With the Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline a little over a week away, it would appear the team is beginning to consider radical changes.

One potential victim of such changes could be shortstop Tim Anderson, the two-time All-Star in the middle of his worst season to date.

Not long ago, Anderson was one of the game’s most electric up-and-coming stars. He won the batting title with a .335 average in 2019 and he finished seventh in MVP voting in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Now, he could be shown the door as Chicago looks to hit the reset button.

MLB Rumors: White Sox could trade Tim Anderson at deadline, especially with position change

It’s hard to overstate how bad Anderson’s 2023 season has been. After four straight years of batting over .300, Anderson’s current average sits at .236 with a ghastly on-base percentage of .277. To pile on, it has been over one calendar year since Anderson last hit a ball over the fence. He has zero home runs and only 16 RBIs through 74 games.

Accordingly, the White Sox are warming up to trading a player who once felt like a franchise pillar. From Jon Morosi of MLB Network:

As Morosi notes, Anderson has looked more like himself since returning from the All-Star break. At 30 years old, there’s no reason to believe Anderson can’t achieve his former stardom again — be it with Chicago or another team.

Anderson continues to hit in the No. 2 hole for Chicago, sandwiched between two of the league’s brightest bats in Andrew Benintendi and Luis Robert Jr. He also continues to play shortstop, but a move to second base could increase his appeal to other teams around the league.

With Team USA last summer, Anderson made the temporary move to second base to accommodate Trea Turner. Well, he evidently warmed up to the concept of playing second and it definitely feels like a permanent move could be in his near future.

Teams would be smart to buy low on Anderson if possible. He was an All-Star the past two years and his recent play has felt like water in the desert for Chicago fans. Hitters with Anderson’s penchant for contact don’t normally fall off a cliff in the middle of their primes. Plus, Anderson’s contract is exceedingly affordable. He has a club option for $14 million next season before hitting free agency in 2025. The financial risk is extremely low.

That being said, the White Sox need to play this smart. Anderson is a fan favorite who provides value not only at the plate, but as a clubhouse leader with his effervescent spunk. Getting rid of him for pennies on the dollar would inevitably backfire once he’s back to batting .300+ with his new team.

Anderson’s future will probably be determined by the market. If teams are willing to part with significant assets to pry Anderson away from the Sox, then maybe he gets moved. That said, it’s hard to imagine the White Sox feeling any pressure to deal their cornerstone infielder. Anderson has been part of the problem this season, but as we’ve seen over the last couple of weeks, he can also be part of the solution.

MLB front offices should always play the long game, but the long game doesn’t necessarily mean trading stars when their value is lowest. It can also mean hanging tight to dormant stars who are bound to improve, therefore increasing their value in future trades or, ideally, leading the team back to contention.