White Sox May Be Forced to Trade MLB Outfielder

There’s been plenty of discussion about the Chicago White Sox and who they might add before the upcoming MLB trade deadline on August 3. Given their current position in first place in the AL Central, along with some pretty clear holes on the roster, it’s becoming a no-brainer for Chicago to be buyers.

But the upcoming trade deadline may also force the White Sox to trade an outfielder from their MLB roster. They have a roster logjam that can’t be solved any other way.

Removing the catching situation from the equation, the White Sox only have one expendable roster spot.

Junior Perez, a 25-year-old outfielder, is batting .152 with a .509 OPS since being called up on June 18. Perez was brought up as a replacement for Everson Pereira when Pereira landed back on the IL with a concussion. And while he’s shown some flashes of power and athleticism, it’s very clear at this point that Perez is not a mature enough hitter to hold his own against MLB pitching.

It is well known by now that Perez will be the odd man out the next time the White Sox return a player from injury and need to make a corresponding move. But that only clears one roster spot, and the White Sox are about to get two players back.

Both Austin Hays and Everson Pereira are currently on rehab assignments with Triple-A Charlotte.

Hays and Pereira each played in two games for the Knights over the weekend and could be about a week away from rejoining the White Sox. But those roster moves won’t be clean. Perez can be sent down without a problem. But who else from the current White Sox roster would Chicago cut to make room for Pereira or Hays?

Outfielders like Braden Montgomery, Tristan Peters, Andrew Benintendi, Sam Antonacci, and Randal Grichuk are not going anywhere. They all belong on this team. Even Luisangel Acuña has recently made himself valuable off the bench, batting .426 since the start of June.

The White Sox won't be able to option either Hays or Pereira to the minor leagues as neither player has minor league options remaining and both would need to be designated for assignment in order to be sent down. Same thing goes for Acuña. So unless there’s another injury between now and the time both Hays and Pereira are ready to return to Chicago, the White Sox may be forced to pick between the two and trade the other.

It could be an opportunity for Chicago to repurpose its assets, trading from its abundance of MLB outfielders to address another need. Maybe catcher, maybe the bullpen, maybe the starting rotation.

But if Chicago does make this move over the next few weeks, fans should understand that it wouldn’t be the organization "selling." It would simply be the White Sox trying to capitalize on a roster logjam in the best way possible. They may have no other choice.