The Biggest Mistake the White Sox Could Make This Trade Deadline
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The Chicago White Sox were not supposed to be competing this year. After three consecutive 100-loss seasons, including a record 121-loss season in 2024, the team was expected to remain in rebuild mode.
However, the Sox have exceeded all expectations and are leading the division at the end of July. With the trade deadline approaching, GM Chris Getz and the White Sox are expected to buy. But does that mean they should be prepared to push all their chips in? Let's talk about the one mistake Getz has to avoid over the next week.
The White Sox Have to Be Careful ...
While the White Sox are currently competing for the AL Central crown, they are not ready to compete for a World Series. The biggest mistake Chris Getz can make at this juncture is to sell the farm for multiple players – let alone one player.
There has been some belief that the White Sox could be in on Padres closer Mason Miller. This would be a massive mistake for a few reasons. The first being that the White Sox would likely have to give up top prospect Caleb Bonemer for the All-Star reliever.
While it's uncertain where Bonemer will play on this future White Sox team, he could very well be a star at the next level, and the White Sox should prioritize finding a place in the lineup for him.
While starting pitching is a huge need at the deadline (perhaps the biggest need), the White Sox do not need a closer like Miller. Grant Taylor has shown he can handle the role when used correctly. While bullpen arms could very well be something Getz goes after, why not get New York Mets reliever Luke Weaver instead? Don't overpay for someone like Miller!
We've established that the White Sox shouldn't overpay for a reliever. But in general, they shouldn't overpay at all. In theory, Chicago should get a starter or two at a low price, as well as a catcher – all while not sacrificing any of their Top 5 prospects. But in all likelihood, the White Sox will have to give up someone from their Top 10.
Mets starter Clay Holmes is someone who likely wouldn't require a top-5 prospect in Chicago's system, for what it's worth.
With this trade deadline less certain due to the expected lockout in 2027, the prices of rental and controllable players could very well change. Right now, it isn't known which way it will shift, but this deadline could be incredibly interesting for that reason alone.
Either way, this team is not ready to contend with the juggernauts of baseball like the Los Angeles Dodgers. The White Sox are ahead of schedule in their rebuild, but that doesn't mean they should throw away important future pieces for players who might not be here down the road. Once again, as great as this year has been, World Series contention isn't the priority right now.
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Matthew Singer is a contributor for White Sox on SI. Before joining SI in 2026, he worked for Heavy as an MLB contributor and Cubs on SI. Singer has a master's degree in sports journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. He loves sports more than anything in the world.