2020 OOTP sim: White Sox snag Calhoun, Walls, Padlo in big weekend deals
It was a big weekend for the 2020 OOTP sim White Sox, making two more deals that clear salary from a bloated payroll and make the active roster and minor leagues younger, cheaper and more athletic.
Early on Friday, Chicago sent reliever Tony Watson and minor league starting pitcher Dan Metzdorf to Tampa Bay for outfielder Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, middle infielder Taylor Walls, corner infielder Kevin Padlo and reliever Ryan Sherriff.
Watson, a lefty specialist, was picked up on April 30 with Yasiel Puig from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Triple-A catcher Seby Zavala and $5 million. In 14 games with the White Sox, Watson was 3-0 with a 3.77 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and -0.4 WAR. Metzdorf went 5-3 with a 3.26 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 1.4 WAR for Low-A Kannapolis in 2020. In his first full pro season at age 24, Tampa is moving him to the pen and advancing him to Double-A.
Tsutsugo was a bit of a salary dump for Tampa, as the Japanese superstar came to the U.S. this year after 10 years with the NPB's Yokohama BayStars. The left fielder saw little time in the majors before being demoted to Triple-A Durham, where he has languished in 2020. He's struggling a bit with the adjustment to the U.S., but managed to wreak revenge on the Bulls this past weekend, as the Charlotte Knights were facing Durham, with Tsutsugo homering in all three games. Even if the lefty needs 2020 to get his legs under him, he's always hit as a pro, and he's a strong DH candidate for 2021 in the worst case. He'll earn just shy of $10 million through 2021.
But the keys to this deal were two plum rookies blocked in Tampa Bay's stacked system. Kevin Padlo, 23, is a corner infielder with plus defense at first base and a solid bat. After an OPS of .887 at Double-A in 2019, Padlo was at .995, with 1.8 WAR, in Triple-A at the time of the deal. He was immediately promoted to the White Sox and had two hits in his major league debut.
Taylor Walls, 23, was a star collegian at Florida State who lit up Triple-A in 2020 (.808 OPS with power and speed, and 2.4 WAR in just 70 games). The middle infielder was called up to make his major-league debut in Chicago on Sunday.
The White Sox also got veteran reliever Ryan Sherriff, 30. The righty has had a pedestrian career in the minors but has put up nice numbers in Triple-A so far in 2020: 5-2, six saves, 1.23 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 1.2 WAR in just 23 games for Durham. Sherriff heads to Charlotte to join the loaded Knights bullpen.
Then, late Saturday, the White Sox completed a blockbuster, with first baseman José Abreu heading to the Arizona Diamondbacks for right fielder Kole Calhoun, left fielder Yasmany Tomas, reliever Taylor Clarke and catcher Lucas Herbert.
Tomas was immediately placed on waivers, as a salary offset to accommodate the Diamondbacks taking on Abreu. The White Sox are on the hook for the remainder of Tomas' $17 million in 2020, while Arizona owes Abreu about $42 million through 2022.
Abreu was, simply, awful this season for the White Sox, slashing .217/.256/.364 in 56 games and not hitting his first home run until June 1. He's walked five times, against 53 Ks, and his -1.1 WAR projects to a -2.0 for a full year.
Tomas signed a six-year, $54.5 million deal out of Cuba in 2015 and never reached his potential. Since his second-year 2.8 WAR in 2016, Tomas has played just 74 MLB games since, for a 0.1 WAR.
Calhoun has a cannon arm in right and is solid defensively. His contract year in 2019 with the Angels yielded 33 homers and 1.7 WAR, so consider the southpaw an older version of ex-White Sox Nomar Mazara, just a version that is playable in the field. Calhoun signed with Arizona as a free agent prior to the 2020 season and is due about $11 million through 2021. The White Sox hold an $9 million option (no buyout) on his for 2022.
The White Sox also received 27-year-old swingman Clarke, with a high ERA (4.94) but killer WHIP (1.06) and WAR (1.8) at Triple-A Reno. Clarke heads to the crowded Charlotte pen. Catcher Herbert was drafted out of high school by Atlanta and has had a nondescript pro career. However, he arrived in Double-A Birmingham having just yesterday pocketing the Southern League Player of the Week award.
"Overall, we shed significant salary commitment and two players who weren't materially contributing to our 2020 playoff push [Watson and Abreu]," said an uncommonly sterile Rick Hahn, chugging his eighth cup of coffee on a busy Saturday night. "In Calhoun, we get another right field option as our young players develop in Double- and Triple-A. Walls and Padlo are young and will contribute immediately to the 2020 White Sox and beyond. We've acquired valuable high-minors depth in the pen and at catcher. And we're thrilled to add Tsutsugo, both for what he may contribute in 2020 and what we'll be counting on him for next season."
As for rumors, sourced by other clubs, that catcher Yasmani Grandal, DH Edwin Encarnación and starter Dallas Keuchel could all be on the trading block, Hahn snickered, "Can I take a nap first?"