It’s no secret the White Sox are searching for starting pitching ahead of the trade deadline, and multiple reports suggest general manager Chris Getz has been aggressive in his pursuit of arms.
Per Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports, the White Sox are casting a wide net as they look to bolster their roster for a potential postseason run. Some names the White Sox are reportedly showing interest in include Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber, Baltimore Orioles left-hander Trevor Rogers and New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes.
National MLB reporter Michael Marino also indicated the White Sox were in trade discussions with the Mets for right-hander Freddy Peralta in exchange for a package that included the organization’s 11th-ranked prospect George Wolkow and 15th-ranked prospect Boston Smith.
It’s a deal that seemed almost too good to be true. While Peralta is in the midst of a down year, he is a two-time All-Star and has proven that he can be a frontline starter during his eight seasons in Milwaukee. Some of his struggles this year can be attributed to piss poor Mets defense behind him. His 3.83 expected ERA is a far more encouraging figure than the 4.99 ERA he currently carries.
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While Wolkow possesses immense power, his high strikeout rate and struggles against offspeed pitches have raised questions about his long-term outlook, especially given his tendency to expand the strike zone.
Smith, meanwhile, brings an intriguing set of tools, but his projected timeline works in the White Sox’s favor. With a major league debut not expected until 2028, he represents the type of high-upside prospect teams are often willing to move in deadline deals.
Unfortunately for the White Sox, Marino said those talks stalled when the Mets began shopping Peralta with other clubs.
But Bieber, Rogers and Holmes all fit a similar profile to Peralta: established major league arms in the middle of down seasons who could provide an immediate boost to the White Sox’s rotation while potentially being acquired at a discounted price. All three pitchers would essentially be rental options. Bieber and Rogers are set to become free agents after the season, while Holmes can opt out of his contract through a player option for 2027.
Bieber owns a 5.75 ERA with the Blue Jays this season, but he is no stranger to the AL Central. During his seven seasons with Cleveland, the right-hander won a Cy Young Award, an ERA title, pitching’s Triple Crown and earned two All-Star selections, including All-Star Game MVP honors in 2019.
Rogers has posted a 4.27 ERA in 20 starts this season, but has started to heat up in the last month and a half. In his last seven starts, the Orioles southpaw owns a 1.85 ERA with 41 strikeouts. Dorsey also reported that the White Sox had scouts in attendance during Rogers’ last start in Detroit.
The White Sox also scouted Holmes during his most recent rehab start. Unlike Bieber and Rogers, the veteran right-hander has been excellent this season, posting a 2.39 ERA with 45 strikeouts over 52 2/3 innings in nine starts. The biggest concern is his health. Holmes’ outstanding start to the season was cut short in May when he suffered a fractured fibula, making durability the primary question surrounding his trade value.
Robbie Ray is another name to watch, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
He represents another rental starter that the White Sox would not have to surrender a significant prospect package for. The San Francisco Giants are reportedly motivated to move the remaining portion of his $25 million salary, and while he is no longer the frontline ace who won the AL Cy Young Award in 2021, he still profiles as a dependable mid-rotation arm.
Ray has posted a 3.16 ERA this season. While pitching half his games at Oracle Park has likely helped those numbers, he has also done a good job limiting hard contact by leaning on a deep mix of offspeed pitches, highlighted by the reintroduction of his sinker.
There are some reasons to be cautious. Ray’s underlying metrics suggest he has benefited from some good fortune, and there is a chance for regression over the final two months. Even so, his current production would represent a clear upgrade over Erick Fedde and Noah Schultz, giving the White Sox a more reliable option at the back end of the rotation for a postseason push.
