The Chicago White Sox made their biggest offseason one week before the start of the season on Friday as they traded closer Craig Kimbrel to the Los Angeles Dodgers for outfielder AJ Pollock. The trade provides Chicago with a much-needed right fielder that the team has not had for several seasons while freeing themselves of Kimbrel’s 16 million dollar salary. Friday’s trade proves that White Sox general manager Rick Hahn continues to excel at getting the best value during trade negotiations.
The Dodgers have traded AJ Pollock to the White Sox for Craig Kimbrel, per source.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) April 1, 2022
Hahn Has Always Gotten The Best Value Out Of Any Trade
Since the White Sox began their rebuild following the 2016 season, Hahn has overseen several impactful trades, with almost all those trades providing massive upside for Chicago. The three most significant trades for the team during the rebuild that lasted three seasons include the Chris Sale trade, Adam Eaton trade, and Jose Quintana trade. In trading those three players from the White Sox, Hahn received current stars Yoan Moncada, Lucas Giolito, Eloy Jimenez, Dylan Cease, Michael Kopech, and several other prospects.
With the Eaton trade with the Washington Nationals in December 2016, the White Sox received Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, and Dane Dunning. Lopez, despite struggling as a starting pitcher for several seasons, proved to be a reliable option as a reliever for the White Sox in 2021. Dunning’s promising performance in limited time with Chicago in 2020 created enough potential value as a starting pitcher, which enabled Chicago to trade him to the Texas Rangers for pitcher Lance Lynn. Lynn, last season, finished with a 2.69 earn run average and was third in Cy Young voting.
At the start of a rebuild, Rick Hahn traded Adam Eaton for Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning.
Four years later, when the team is ready to win, Hahn has turned that trade into Giolito, Lopez, Lance Lynn and… Adam Eaton.
And people are upset? pic.twitter.com/kbLd6u0bAt
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) December 8, 2020
Hahn’s most significant in-season trade last year was the acquisition of Kimbrel from the Cubs in return for infielder Nick Madrigal and reliever Codi Heuer. Chicago’s initial plan with the trade was to allow for bullpen flexibility, having two of the best closers in baseball. Although there was a lot of hype following the trade, the former Cubs’ closer struggled in his new role significantly, recording a 5.09 ERA in 24 appearances. When the White Sox picked up Kimbrel’s 16 million dollar option for the 2022 season, there was concern about what type of value in return Chicago could get back.
Hahn proved fans and analysts wrong on Friday by getting Pollock in return for Kimbrel. The trade gives the White Sox a former Gold Glove outfielder who has hit 15 or more home runs in each of the last four seasons. Furthermore, Chicago received a proven veteran in return while also saving six million dollars as Pollock’s contract is worth 10 million dollars over the next two seasons. Many baseball analysts believed that in order to move Kimbrel, Chicago would need to pay for some of his salary, if not include an additional prospect.
The White Sox turned Nick Madrigal into a couple bad months of Craig Kimbrel and a year of 34-year old AJ Pollock. Neat.
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) April 1, 2022
Hahn Continues To Utilize Trades As An Alternative To Free Agent Acquisitions
The acquisition of Pollock marks the second time in as many years where Hahn’s biggest transaction came via trade and not a free agency signing. Last off-season’s trade for Lynn was successful as the White Sox won 93 games and won the American League Central Division title for the first time in 13 years. Before Friday’s trade, the most significant transaction made by Hahn this offseason was the signing of reliever Joe Kelly.
BIG trade for the #WhiteSox. They fill a huge need in the OF and shed Kimbrel from any role other than closer.
AJ Pollock, when healthy, has been a very productive player. He's in the final year of his deal that includes a '23 player option.
— Ryan McGuffey (@RyanMcGuffey) April 1, 2022
Although White Sox fans were significantly frustrated at the organization for not addressing the right fielder need during free agency, the Pollock trade resolves that issue. Chicago fans were upset that the team had not signed free-agent outfielder Michael Conforto, but Hahn may have gotten a better defensive outfielder in return for Kimbrel. Pollock will be a reliable hitter and defensive fielder for the White Sox in 2022 and 2023, as the outfield will feature two former Gold Glove winners.
The trade also helps resolve the designated hitter role as second-year players Gavin Sheets and Andrew Vaughn can split time at the position. There was significant concern by fans about Vaughn and Sheets sharing a platoon role in right field as both players’ primary positions are at first base. With Pollock’s presence, the White Sox have now resolved both the right field position and DH position with one move. Manager Tony La Russa has immense lineup flexibility heading into the 2022 season.
The Chicago White Sox now have an actual outfielder to play right field instead of using two 1B.
Now Gavin Sheets and Andrew Vaughn can focus on what matters which is their offense. AJ Pollock is a great add.
— Vinnie Parise (@VinnieParise) April 1, 2022
Hahn trading Kimbrel allowed the White Sox to address two spots in their lineup while saving the team an additional six million dollars. The added money generated by the trade could enable Chicago to sign one more reliever or a fifth starter during the season. Hahn has made several successful trades over the last five seasons, but his ability to continually generate beneficial value for the White Sox when none appears to be present is remarkable.
