By Dom DalDegan | December 5, 2023

It was just a year ago at the Winter Meetings that the White Sox tried to rebound from a core-shattering 2022 season. 101 losses later, now new General Manager Chris Getz will be revamping the roster at this year’s Winter Meetings. Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf has gone on record in early September saying he plans to compete next year, but the White Sox signing SS Paul DeJong for 1 year/1.75 million earlier this offseason indicates that 2024 is most likely a bridge year to a competitive window starting in 2025. 

Getz can jump start this roster change by trading away the team’s ace Dylan Cease. Despite control issues, the sky’s the limit for Cease. Cease was the Cy Young runner-up from a couple of years ago even while leading the MLB in walks. Several reports have indicated that a trade involving Cease is imminent, and it is more a matter of when than if. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale went on the White Sox Talk Podcast with Chuck Garfein and stated that six to eight clubs are interested in Cease. Teams would have two years left of control over Cease who would be making well below market value for a pitcher of his caliber, averaging 222 strikeouts over the last three seasons. Considering the Orioles and the Dodgers are the two most likely teams to land Cease, here are two comprehensive trade packages involving both teams. 

Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are the most obvious trade partner for the White Sox considering their spending limits as well as their number 1 ranked farm system in baseball. But homegrown talent is what got Baltimore to 101 wins last season, so some prospects may be off the table even for someone such as Cease. The Orioles have such a wealth of prospects that even their mid-tier prospects can potentially contribute at a high level as early as next year. In this proposed package, the Orioles would send SS Joey Ortiz, 2B/OF Connor Norby, SP Cole Irvin, and SP Alex Pham to the White Sox. 

Joey Ortiz is the number 6 prospect in the Baltimore Orioles system and possesses an outstanding glove at shortstop. Ortiz slashed .321/.378/.507 through 88 games at AAA Norfolk last season. Although DeJong will be starting this season at shortstop, Getz had previously informed DeJong to get ready to play third base if the situation arose. This move would likely make White Sox top prospect Colson Montgomery the team’s future 3rd baseman, as many scouts believe Montgomery would be a better fit at 3B due to his 6-3, 205 pound frame. 

Connor Norby played in 138 games at Norfolk last season and slashed .290/.359/.483 totaling 61 extra base hits, which is certainly impressive offensive output for a second baseman. Norby also swiped 26 bags over the last two seasons despite only having average speed, showing that he always looks to take the extra base. Although the White Sox traded for local product 2B Nicky Lopez earlier this offseason, Getz has in no way confirmed that he would be starting at the position. Lopez would be a great fit to be a utility player given his left-handedness and defensive prowess, so this acquisition would suit the White Sox nicely. 

Cole Irvin has been a serviceable pitcher throughout his career. The soft-tossing lefty has a career 4.42 ERA over 77 big league starts, and features a fastball changeup combination to try and get hitters off balance. The White Sox desperately need starting pitching in 2024, and this would fill some of that need. Considering Irvin’s entering arbitration as well as the Orioles’ propensity to not spend, the White Sox would be acquiring three years of starting pitcher insurance. The 2021 19th round pick Alex Pham ranks 29th in the Orioles’ farm system, but his ERA and WHIP have decreased every season since he has been drafted. At 24 years old, Pham certainly has upside and we would see him by 2024’s end. 

If this kind of trade package does become a reality, manager Pedro Grifol would have his hands full creating lineups on a day-to-day basis as there would be a lot of shifting parts depending on availability, performance, and planned workloads for younger players. Getz has even gone on record earlier this offseason that they may even try 3B Yoan Moncada out at first base, second base, or even the outfield, supporting the notion that 2024 is going to be a tryout to see who fits where going forward. 

Dodgers

What was once an astonishingly deep starting rotation for the Dodgers is now just as astonishingly thin. Ace Walker Buehler is coming back from Tommy John surgery, Clayton Kershaw is a free agent, and Julio Urias is facing severe off the field issues. If the Dodgers hope to repeat their win total from last year and advance deeper into the postseason, they will need more top-of-the rotation arms. While the Dodgers have a deep farm system, it is not nearly as deep as the Orioles and it would certainly cost Los Angeles to land Cease. In this proposed trade the Dodgers would send over a package headlined by major league OF James Outman, followed by prospects RHP Gavin Stone and RHP Landon Knack. 

James Outman saw success with the Dodgers, slashing .248/.353/.437 while finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting. Outman exhibits strong on base skills that the White Sox so badly need, while flashing 20/20 potential, slugging 23 home runs and swiping 16 bags. Outman is also a very solid defender with 88 percentile sprint speed according to Baseball Savant and has a plus arm. Outman would be the finishing piece in what would be a fairly decent defensive outfield between him, Robert, and Benintendi. 

Drafted in the fifth round in 2020, Gavin Stone made 19 starts in 2023 with a 4.73 ERA. Although the ERA is nothing special, Stone put up a favorable 120:46 strikeout to walk ratio with his filthy fastball and changeup combo and plus slider. Although his results were rocky, Stone has extreme arm talent and put it to use by logging 131 innings last year between AAA and the MLB. The Dodgers’ number five prospect may be just one change away from figuring it out.

Landon Knack is further down the Dodgers’ prospect list at number 9 but possesses well above average command, hitting his spots more often than not. Knack would represent the first White Sox top pitching prospect to feature such strong command of the strike zone since Dane Dunning. This is not Knack’s only attribute however, as he gets batters out with his plus fastball-slider combination. Although his fastball is not overpowering, he is able to consistently spot it at the top of the zone wreaking havoc for hitters. Knack finished 2023 with a 2.51 ERA over 100 innings logged. 

The Winter Meetings are underway, and the White Sox have just added starting pitcher Erick Fedde. Lets see if the Cease trade is next.