After moving both Chris Sale and Adam Eaton, Rick Hahn and the Chicago White Sox proved that they were serious about their rebuild. When Hahn said that, “no one is untouchable”, he really meant it.
Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier, Jose Abreu and David Robertson have been the most talked about White Sox on the market. However the team does have valuable resources outside those four who could intrigue opposing teams.
One of those resources is infielder Tyler Saladino. He hasn’t heard his name much in trade rumors this offseason, but as is the case with every White Sox, he could be had for the right price.
Saladino has been in the MLB for the past two seasons, appearing in 161 games. He has hit .257 with 12 home runs, 58 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.
Beyond his offense, Saladino offers an above average infield glove. He holds a .959 fielding percentage at third, a .974 fielding percentage at shortstop and a .994 fielding percentage at second.
One team that has been looking for a second baseman all offseason has been the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers were in talks to acquire the Twins Brian Dozier, but with both sides not able to reach an agreement, they remain searching.
Recently Mike Axisa of CBS Sports compiled a list of second base targets outside of Dozier for the Dodgers. He listed them in categories including: best option, most sensible, high-upside, square peg, round hole, WAR friendly and incumbent.
Among the players listed were: Ian Kinsler (best option), Logan Forsythe (most sensible), Jurickson Profar (high upside), Zack Cozart (square peg, round hole) and Chase Utley (incumbent).
As for WAR friendly, Axisa suggested the Dodgers could trade for the White Sox Tyler Saladino. He wrote:
Thanks to his extraordinary defense, Saladino has been worth 1.3 WAR and 1.8 WAR the last two seasons while playing only 68 and 93 games, respectively. The White Sox are in the middle of a full blown rebuild and could trade veteran infielders Todd Frazier and/or Brett Lawrie, creating an opening to regular playing time for Saladino. That said, I’m sure ChiSox GM Rich Hahn is willing to discuss anyone on his roster.
Saladino is a shortstop by trade but he has played plenty of second base over the years, not to mention third and even a little outfield. Also, he’s a right-handed hitter with a career .277/.333/.401 (120 OPS+) line against lefties, which is something the Dodgers could really use. They were the worst hitting team in baseball against southpaws last season. Saladino is a stat-head fave (I say that as a stat-head) and would be the kind of smart, under-the-radar pickup we’ve become accustomed to seeing from Friedman over the years.
Saladino isn’t going to cost nearly the same price a Dozier or Kinsler would cost. He is under team control until 2022 making just $513, 000 in 2017.
Saladino isn’t a flashy player by any sense of the word. But as Axisa notes, he checks all the boxes and could be a perfect fit at second base for the Dodgers.
As for what the White Sox could receive for Saladino, it is unlikely the infielder would draw any prospect of substance. Perhaps Hahn could try for one of the Dodgers back-end top 30 prospects.
Axisa is just speculating and not confirming any interest between the two clubs. However Saladino seems like the perfect fit for the Dodgers. He wouldn’t cost a lot and offers the team a defensive-minded second baseman who has a knack for hitting against lefties. He won’t singlehandedly take the team to the World Series, but with all the talent Los Angeles has, he wouldn’t have to.
Saladino could end up being a starter on the White Sox for the 2017 season. That is of course if he isn’t shipped to the Los Angeles Dodgers, as they attempt to win the NL West and perhaps the World Series.
Feel free to continue the conversation on Twitter: @DFappiano14
