A Reds Trade Could Help the White Sox Solve Their Two Biggest Problems
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What looked like it could be the White Sox' biggest strength coming into 2026 has turned into arguably their greatest weakness.
During Spring Training, it felt like Will Venable had a good problem to have. Both Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero were second-year catchers coming off a strong rookie year. On top of that, he had a respected locker room leader in Korey Lee. They would also soon bring in former touted prospect Drew Romo, whose initial stint with the team gave fans reasons to be optimistic.
Alas, not a single one of these four has proven to be the answer behind the plate. Lee has been in the minors for months, Romo's productivity has fallen off a cliff, and Quero was demoted after a shockingly bad start.
Teel was expected to be the go-to guy, yet he's only been healthy for a total of 19 games this season. He started the year on the IL after suffering a hamstring strain in the World Baseball Classic. Then, shortly after his return, he sustained an ankle sprain that will seemingly sideline him for at least another month.
In years past, these catching woes would be something the Sox would ride out. But not in 2026! The team has turned things around in epic fashion, rising to the top of the AL Central. They are now gearing up for their first postseason appearance since 2021, and the full expectation is that they use this trade deadline to fill their most obvious holes.
Will they likely prioritize starting pitching the most? Yes, but catching depth has undoubtedly become a point of focus. The Athletic even reported this week that Chicago is already surveying the landscape and trying to get a deal done.
Catchers can be quite hard to acquire mid-season, especially the kind that truly move the needle. However, the Sox aren't necessarily in a position to be all that picky, and a perfect trade partner may have just emerged.
Can the White Sox and Reds Strike a Deal?
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon reported that the Cincinnati Reds have made catcher Tyler Stephenson available. The 29-year-old has spent his entire career with the franchise, becoming a mainstay in their lineup over the last handful of years.
Stephenson is putting together a solid 2026. He's slashing .244/.320/.393 with a .713 OPS in his 77 outings. While the vet will strike out a good amount, there is no doubt that his hard-hitting ability would fit nicely into this explosive Sox lineup.
This group has also really needed a more dependable defensive presence behind home plate. Stephenson may not be considered elite on that end, but he's got good tools. His blocking ability is above average, and the same can be said about his arm strength. Even better, his ABS usage has been among baseball's best this season. He's won more calls than anyone!
Minnesota's Ryan Jeffers has been another very popular name on the market, and he would surely fit well with this Sox squad. But Jeffers feels like he's going to be outside their price range, especially when considering the other teams expected to show interest (Yankees rumored). Also, are we sure the Twins would want to trade within the division?
Stephenson could also be a pretty reasonable target because of what else the Reds may be willing to offer up. They have a couple of different arms that could help the Sox solve both their main issues.
Another 29-year-old, Brady Singer has seven years of starting experience under his belt. While this hasn't been his best season (4.53 EA), Singer would offer Will Venable another stable starter with proven breaking ball production. Singer has also been great at limiting his walks this season and has put together his best month of the year over the last couple of weeks. This could be the right time to buy!
Brock Burke feels like another name the Reds might look to cash in on. He's having an excellent year in the bullpen with a 2.79 ERA in 48.1 innings of work. The lefty has been really good at limiting hard contact and forcing swings and misses with his upper-90s fastball and mid-80s slider. Chicago's bullpen hasn't been a major problem, but this is always an area you want to improve ahead of the postseason.
At the end of the day, it would be somewhat surprising if we didn't hear that the White Sox and Reds were at least having conversations in the coming days. They could piece together the type of transaction that leaves both teams very happy. A postseason-hungry White Sox team adds proven reinforcements, while a developing Reds squad gets their hands on some Sox youngsters (which is looking like a great farm system to pull from right now). Call it in, Mr. Getz!
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Elias Schuster is a sports journalist and content creator from the northern suburbs of Chicago. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has covered the Bulls since 2019-20 and previously served as the editor of BN Bulls at Bleacher Nation. He has been the Publisher for Bulls On SI since December of the 2025-26 season. When he isn't obsessing over hoops, Elias spends his time obsessing over practically every other sport – much to his wife's dismay. He also loves strolling the streets of Chicago for the best cozy bar or restaurant to set up shop and write his next article.
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