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White Sox ace Chris Sale traded to Red Sox

The Chicago White Sox have dealt ace Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox.
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The Chicago White Sox have traded starting pitcher Chris Sale to the the Boston Red Sox in exchange for prospects Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Basabe and Victor Diaz, the teams announced Tuesday.

Sale went 17–10 with a 3.34 ERA and 233 strikeouts in a career-high 226 2/3 innings for Chicago last season. Since debuting for the White Sox in 2010, the big lefthander has a 74–50 record and recorded 1,244 strikeouts.

In Boston, Sale bolsters a rotation that includes 2016 American League Cy Young award winner Rick Porcello.

Moncada, a switch-hitting infielder, and Kopech, a righthander, rank as the No. 2 and No. 4 prospects in the Red Sox's minor league system, according to Baseball America. Moncada, 21, made his debut for Boston late last season and hit .211 in eight games. MLB.com ranks him the top prospect in all of baseball.

Kopech, 20, made 12 starts across Single A levels last season, striking out an impressive 86 betters in 56 1/3 innings. He was the 33rd pick in the 2014 MLB Draft.

Basabe, 20, is a switch-hitting outfielder who stole 25 bases and hit 12 home runs across two Single A levels last year. Diaz, 22, had a 3.88 ERA in 37 relief appearances last season.

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The Washington Nationals, Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves also reportedly had interest in dealing for Sale. On Monday night, Washington was rumored to have offered a deal that included top prospects including right-hander Lucas Giolito and outfielder Victor Robles. National League Rookie of the Year award finalist Trea Turner was reportedly off limits.

The White Sox are also reportedly shopping around left-hander Jose Quintana.