10 Jan 2018 19:08:40
Chicago White Sox/Miami Marlins

White Sox Get:
Christian Yelich OF
Wei-Yen Chen LHP
Junichi Tazawa RHP
$16.5 Million

Marlins Get:
Lucas Giolito RHP
Blake Rutherford OF (#40 MLB)
Dylan Cease (#58 MLB)
Zack Collins (#7 White Sox System/#6 Catcher)

The Marlins get 2 controllable SPs, a young outfielder who, even after a down 2017 season, still has tremendous upside, and a young catcher who would eventually replace Realmuto who likely will be traded as well. They also continue to shed money as they get rid of roughly $50 million total while still getting the good prospects. They essentially get 3 top 100s (top 60 actually) and a guy right on the top 100 cusp while getting rid of Tazawa's bad money in 2018 and Chen's horrible contract.

With 3 years remaining for Chen, the Sox pay his entire 2018 & 2019 salary while they get back $16.5 million in the deal to pay for 75% of his 2020 owed money.

While Yelich's value should warrant a Jimenez, Kopech, or Moncada type of player, there should be something said about his desire to get out of Miami and what it does to a franchise when your best player badly wants out. Jeter could jump on this deal adding what would be instantly his 4 best prospects while shedding a substantial amount of money.

1.) 10 Jan 2018
10 Jan 2018 22:12:55
This is fair.

Although I can't imagine the Marlins diminishing Yelich's value this significantly by attaching bad contracts to him. If they think they can get someone like Moncada/ Jimenez/ Kopech, they aren't losing that kind of player just to shed money.

2.) 12 Jan 2018
12 Jan 2018 04:33:24
Thought the White Sox were rebuilding? Getting Yelich get you more by trading him in a few years then who you did trade. I think they should trade Abreu before trading for stars.

3.) 13 Jan 2018
13 Jan 2018 23:31:35
That's a valid assertion, but the big thing with Yelich is that he's controlled through 2022. Abreu holds value now as an accomplished veteran in the clubhouse and I don't think they have ruled out resigning him after 2019. Hahn and Co. will have a very strict (high) price on him. Boston makes a lot of sense for Abreu, but they don't have the prospects at this point with the White Sox looking for quality over quantity.

4.) 18 Jan 2018
18 Jan 2018 05:56:53
The question is, what good does Abreu do on a rebuilding team?

The value of veteran leadership/ clubhouse guys is hugely overstated, and even if you buy into it, you can get a guy like Mike Napoli for pennies on the dollar. You don't need to hold onto an expensive, valuable player for the sole purpose of being a clubhouse presence.

If I'm the White Sox, I'm pushing Abreu out the door for a package similar to what the Pirates got for Gerrit Cole: a handful of guys with MLB experience and a combined 12-15 years of team control remaining. (Side note: that was a brilliant, absolutely brilliant trade by Pittsburgh) .

It's not that I think Abreu lacks value. But I don't see what advantage he creates on a rebuilding White Sox club. You don't pay a guy $13MM because he's good with the younger players.

That's something the White Sox would do. Oh wait.

5.) 22 Jan 2018
22 Jan 2018 21:24:08
It's not just that he has some generic value as a veteran. Moncada and Robert both looked up to Abreu before they were even in the organization and the Sox have put a ton of money and effort into them. They're all Cuban. We've disagreed before on the importance/ value of veteran leadership, but I think in this instance it's specific, as they're compatriots. $13MM really isn't anything to the Sox this year, either.

And again, I don't think they've ruled out resigning him. He most definitely could be their DH when they plan to contend again.

I don't know that a Gerrit Cole-type package is out there right now. Chavis would seem to be the headliner for the Red Sox to move, but he doesn't really match up with what the white sox need positionally or fit the timeline given who they already have.