The Chicago White Sox have been the most active and exciting team in the MLB’s winter meetings. The White Sox have made the biggest acquisition to date by trading for SP Lance Lynn (6-3 3.32ERA 1.06WHIP 89K 25BB 84IP) for SP Dane Dunning (2-0 3.97ERA 1.12WHIP 35K 13BB 34IP) and pitching prospect Avery Weems. I loved what Dunning did for the White Sox and would’ve love to see him develop in the starting rotation. But anyone who doesn’t think these aren’t great moves for the White Sox, they are out of their minds.
Lynn has finished a top 10 runner up for the Cy Young over the past three years. Acquiring Lynn means that the White Sox will have three of the top 10 AL Cy Young finalists on their 2021 starting pitching staff and slightly cheaper than the asking price at the 2020 trade deadline. This guy is an inning-eater, which should help keep the burden off the bullpen. He also has familiarity with the new manager, Tony LaRussa. LaRussa and Lynn were both members of the 2011 World Series Champion Cardinals. Lynn’s postseason experience is a massive benefit to the White Sox after last season’s disappointing.
The White Sox added some veteran OF depth by welcoming back Adam Eaton to the southside. The White Sox traded Eaton to the Washington Nationals in 2017. He is a great OF who can play all three OF positions and can hit anywhere in the order. I know some people point to the 1B/DH Adam LaRoche/SP Chris Sale/3B Todd Frazier incidents and say that Eaton isn’t a great locker room guy. Still, whatever bad blood that existed seems to be concentrated on the 2016 clubhouse. Eaton has the benefit of playoff experience that this team is dying for and has proven that he can be a valuable player to a winning ballclub.
Some may ask why it’s worth paying for an aging OF and a SP who looks like he is on the decline. The answer is simple. The White Sox are done with the rebuild. Now is the time to be making moves that will help this team take the next step this season. With the addition of proven players, the 2021 White Sox are primed to win the division and win the World Series.
We all loved watching Dunning and imagined how far his potential could take the White Sox in a few more years. But anybody who doesn’t think the White Sox have gotten better and that much closer to bringing the Commissioner’s Trophy back to the southside must be stuck in rebuild mode. General manager Rick Hahn has pulled off the right moves for a playoff-ready team with World Series aspirations. Prospects will always have to be sacrificed to get your team to a higher level, but it doesn’t mean it has to be forever. After all, Adam Eaton now gets to play with two of the prospects he was traded for. I love these moves, but I don’t think the White Sox are done yet either. Sit back and enjoy the ride, White Sox fans. Our five-year window has officially started.