Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Chicago White Sox are in a rare playoff position but need bullpen help at the trade deadline to secure their surprise NL Central lead.
- Multiple realistic trade targets exist, each requiring different levels of commitment from Chicago's prospect-rich farm system.
- The most ambitious package involves a top-tier reliever who could lock down the ninth inning for years.
The Chicago White Sox are locked in a dead heat with the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the NL Central. This is not where anyone expected the White Sox to be a few months ago. This team is way ahead of schedule, with several young stars finding their stride at the same time under second-year skipper Will Venable.
Still, Chicago has clear needs at the trade deadline, with Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic reporting a "mid-rotation starter and high-leverage reliever" as a "realistic approach" from the White Sox front office. Closer in particular seems like a focus. Grant Taylor, Sean Newcomb and Bryan Hudson have all handled high-leverage spots with aplomb this season, but Chicago lacks that proven, shutdown option in late, close games. Here's how the Southsiders can go about rectifying that.
White Sox trade package for RHP Pete Fairbanks
If the White Sox want to take a modest approach and buy low on Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks, so be it. There's some logic behind that decision. Fairbanks ranked among the most electrifying and productive relievers in baseball for years with Tampa Bay. The slog of injuries and meltdowns has left him gasping for air in Miami, however. He's up to a 7.42 ERA and 1.52 WHIP with 41 strikeouts in 30.1 innings.
Fairbanks is still putting Ks on the scoreboard, with elevated chase and whiff rates. His signature slider remains unhittable (.111 opponent AVG). It's just that his fastball is getting walloped extremely hard and far too frequently. He has turned to his cutter more often, with zero success. With his -0.3 fWAR, he grades out as the worst reliever in the Marlins bullpen, despite still manning ninth-inning duties.
There's clear room for a turnaround. Fairbanks may just need a change of scenery and a few slight tweaks under a new pitching coach. Better yet, since he's on an expiring contract in the middle of his worst season to date, the White Sox wouldn't need to give up much. Ky Bush is a big southpaw with a tame, hittable fastball. He can dial up the RPMs on his curveball and finesse his way to outs, but he's running out of time to claim a spot in an MLB rotation. There's a good chance he tops out as a lower-leverage reliever.
White Sox trade package for RHP Luke Weaver
Luke Weaver is one of the few bright spots for an otherwise dour Mets team. The second-most expensive team in MLB selling to the White Sox at the deadline was not on anyone's bingo card, but this checks out logistically. Weaver is due a modest $12.5 million next season. Depending on how Chicago fares the rest of the way, it would not be hard to flip him for comparable value in the offseason.
Weaver has pitched under the bright lights with both New York teams, so the White Sox can feel pretty good about him showing up (and showing out) in October, which is the goal. The 32-year-old has a 1.98 ERA and 0.81 WHIP with 43 strikeouts in 41.0 innings. He's not getting the save opportunities in Queens, but there's so reason he can't handle those highest-leverage reps in Chicago.
Leaning on an electric fastball-changeup combo, Weaver commands the zone, limits hard contact and gets plenty of swing-and-miss. He's one of the most impactful, well-rounded relievers in the sport, flying totally under the radar because the Mets are a disaster.
He won't come cheap, as Tanner McDougal is Chicago's No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. But, while McDougal has dizzying triple-digit heat and promising secondaries, his command is erratic and he's prone to giving up home runs, which can help the White Sox bite the bullet and risk trading him for a win-now piece with an extra year of control.
White Sox trade package for RHP Ryan Zeferjahn
The Angels probably aren't keen on trading 28-year-old Ryan Zeferjahn with five additional years of club control, but for a team so desperate to backfill its farm system and pivot toward the future, it would be irresponsible not to listen to offers. Zeferjahn has a 3.83 ERA and 1.19 WHIP on the season, with a whopping 66 strikeouts in 47.0 innings. Moreover, he has a 1.27 ERA since the calendar flipped to June, with 35 strikeouts compared to 13 walks in that span.
Command is the swing factor for Zeferjahn. Opponents hit a preposterous .073 against his fastball, which explodes through the zone with upper-90s, low-100s velocity. His mid-80s sweeper, the pitch he frequents the most, is similarly unhittable. Batters are left with an impossible predicament trying to track and adjust to Zeferjahn within an at-bat.
He just needs to find the strike zone more frequently. When he's not stuffing the bases with unforced mistakes, Zeferjahn looks like one of the best relievers in the sport.
Ryan Zeferjahn has had a rocky career so far due to walks, but man when he finds the zone it’s hard not to dream about what he could become pic.twitter.com/MolXKN68K7
— Pitch Profiler (@pitchprofiler) July 22, 2026
The Angels will command a hearty return, and this is an upside swing on a reliever who is still volatile at times. But, for the price of two starters in Tanner McDougal and David Sandlin, both of whom could pitch for the Angels in 2027, and a speedy, defense-first middle infielder in William Bergolla Jr., Chicago could find its set-and-forget closer for the next half decade.
White Sox trade package for RHP Mason Miller
If the White Sox want to really push their chips in and amp up the excitement around this up-and-coming team, Mason Miller is the holy grail. The best reliever in MLB, capable of transforming any bullpen overnight. Miller has a 0.86 ERA and 0.86 WHIP with 78 strikeouts in 41.2 innings this season. He's a perfect 25-for-25 in save situations.
Miller is also 27 years old, under club control through 2028. So he can help the White Sox for years to come. It would require an absolute haul. Not only is selling not in Padres GM AJ Preller's nature, but San Diego gave up Leo De Vries — a consensus top-five prospect in MLB — to acquire Miller at the 2025 deadline. It would be bad optics to accept anything less than a haul for Miller, and with his performance, one has to imagine such offers with cross Preller's desk.
The White Sox cough up their top-ranked prospect in shortstop Caleb Bonemer, who's tracking for an MLB debut sometime in the next couple seasons. Noah Schultz, Chicago's top prospect a year ago, has struggled mightily since receiving his MLB call-up, but there's still plenty of excitement around the 6-foot-10 southpaw long term.
Southpaw Christian Oppor, a 21-year-old southpaw, has struggled this season in Double-A, but he's well regarded for his hard-biting fastball and elite spin. He currently ranks No. 7 in a deep White Sox farm system. Rikuu Nishida is more of a toss-in, but he reached the majors briefly this season. At worst, he can fill a bunch of gaps on defense while providing situational value with his speed on the bases. If he can elevate and drive more hits without sacrificing his gaudy contact rate, there's a chance he becomes an everyday option or a higher-value reserve.
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