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The White Sox may have a strong trade candidate if they decide to sell at the deadline, one that could be highly coveted.
The Chicago White Sox have strangely found themselves in the third American League wild card spot. This of course is only because of how weak the American League is as a whole. Only four teams are above .500 in the junior circuit, and even the White Sox are not one of them.
As a result, they may end up selling at the trade deadline. They have a lot of players that they could get good returns for if they decide to blow it up in July. One of the top potential trade chips they have is slugger Munetaka Murakami, who signed a two-year, $34 million contract to join the South Siders last offseason.
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report lists Murakami as somebody the White Sox should sell high on if they are out of contention again.
“Why in the world would the White Sox trade away a budding star and the most exciting player on the roster?” Reuter wrote.
“Behind those 15 home runs and the impressive 155 OPS+ is a staggering 60 strikeouts in 40 games, for a 34.7 percent strikeout rate that is the fourth-highest mark among all qualified hitters. The league is inevitably going to make adjustments, and when it does, that number could climb even higher.
“Looking at the bigger picture, the White Sox are in an unenviable spot. If he continues to rake, he likely leaves for greener pastures once his two-year, $34 million deal is over. Should he regress significantly, they failed to capitalize on his peak amid an ongoing rebuild.”
What Would a Murakami Trade Look Like?
This would be an interesting scenario. The White Sox must be sure not to get overconfident or have a false sense of security about the American League being so weak. They have a lot of young players who are making strides, but they need to stay focused on the bigger picture.
If that means trading Murakami, then it means that they could at the very least bring back a solid haul of top prospects for him.
The 26-year-old first baseman is hitting .232/.364/.556 with 15 home runs, 29 RBI and a .920 OPS. He certainly does have a good chance to be named the American League Rookie of the Year if he keeps this up.
But chances are that the White Sox will not last where they are right now. They were not expected to make the postseason at the beginning of this year, and chances are that a team like the Detroit Tigers or Toronto Blue Jays will heat up in time to grab one of the spots.
What Happens if White Sox Stay in Contention?
If the White Sox are for real and stay in contention, that poses a bit of a problem. They would ultimately be stuck in the middle and not have a clear direction. But it may not be worth pushing the chips just for one season, especially when their rebuild is not yet complete.
It will be interesting to see what they do when the deadline comes around, but if they stay in contention, that creates some question marks.
Curt Bishop Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who has written for various outlets including Heavy Sports, Sports Illustrated, FanSided, The Sporting News, Newsweek and Yardbarker. His work entails mostly breaking and trending news with a concentration on Major League Baseball (MLB). Curt graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a bachelor's degree in communications with a focus on emerging and new media, as well as a music minor. More about Curt Bishop