MLB Mock Blockbuster Trade: Chicago White Sox Deal Adrian Houser to Crosstown Cubs

The Chicago White Sox and Cubs don't typically like to benefit each other. While they don't really compete often on the field, they do contend for the entertainment dollars in the same city.

But there's a trade emerging that the two teams could execute this July that makes a lot of sense.

Veteran right-hander Adrian Houser is on quite the hot streak for the White Sox over the past six weeks. His hot streak hasn't prevented the White Sox from falling out of contention, but he's quickly turning himself into an obvious trade candidate this summer.

On Tuesday, ESPN's David Schoenfield argued Houser is a much better trade chip than outfielder Luis Robert Jr., who has been floated as a trade candidate the entire season.

"The better move is to trade Houser -- and the sooner the better, to cash in on his hot run. He's 3-2 with a 1.91 ERA and 2.2 WAR in seven starts," Schoenfield wrote. "The 32-year-old is throwing both his curveball and changeup about twice as often as in the past, so maybe there is some real improvement going on, but his strikeout rate remains low at 18.1% and he had a 5.03 ERA in Triple-A with the Rangers before the White Sox picked him up.

"Most teams need pitching depth and Houser could be a serviceable back-end starter or swingman -- and maybe even something better."

Additionally, MLB Network's Jon Morosi hyped Houser as a trade candidate this July and proposed the Cubs as a destination.

Could the Cubs be the team that lands Houser? Let's explore the possibility.

Chicago White Sox-Chicago Cubs Mock Trade

Chicago White Sox receive No. 8 Cubs prospect and right-handed pitcher Jaxon Wiggins.

Chicago Cubs receive right-hander Adrian Houser.

On Monday, I proposed a mock trade that had the Cubs landing Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara.

If the Cubs don't want to pay the high price for Alcantara, they could pursue Houser. In all likelihood, the Cubs won't load up with both Alcantara and Houser, so I included one of the pieces involved in my proposed Cubs-Alcantara trade -- Wiggins -- in the mock deal for Houser.

There would be pros and cons to acquiring Alcantara versus Houser for the Cubs. But the biggest pro for Houser is the trade price. The Cubs could acquire the White Sox right-hander for just the No. 8 prospect in their minor league system instead of the multiple top eight prospects it could take for Alcantara.

Even in a sell-high scenario, the White Sox may be happy to take just Wiggins in a deal for Houser. Wiggins owns a 2.09 ERA in 60.1 minor league innings this season. He hasn't reached Triple-A yet, but with the White Sox, he could be a rotation candidate by the end of 2026.

With Houser, the Cubs land a starting pitcher that would boost a rotation that has dealt with several injuries this season.

Houser doesn't offer the Cubs long-term rotation stability as Alcantara would. But the Cubs might prefer a shorter, cheaper solution if they are confident ace starting pitcher Justin Steele will return to form by the middle of next season.

Fantasy managers might want to consider Houser a sell-high candidate just like the White Sox this summer. Not that Houser can't continue to pitch well with the Cubs, but a regression back to the mean is possible.

Houser is 3-2 with a 1.90 ERA, 1.172 WHIP and 31 strikeouts in 42.2 innings since joining the White Sox in May. But over nine MLB seasons overall, Houser is 35-41 with a 4.06 ERA and 1.363 WHIP in 159 MLB appearances.