NEWSLETTER
I almost hated to use that headline, but the reality is that the White Sox are aggressively pursuing the top two free agents on the market, one of whom is Manny Machado, and anything that could help snag him is worth doing.
Don’t just take my word for it:
Value-obsessed baseball teams do not think like this, but it would be interesting if a Manny Machado suitor traded for his brother-in-law, #Indians 1B Yonder Alonso, who now figures to be highly available. Alonso would amount to a $9M enticement, but who’s counting?
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 13, 2018
That was yesterday from Ken Rosenthal. Did he know something? Because this just happened:
BREAKING: Sources tell @WatchStadium that Cleveland Indians 1B Yonder Alonso has been traded to the Chicago White Sox. pic.twitter.com/8czhGZO78X
— Stadium (@WatchStadium) December 15, 2018
The 31-year-old first baseman was tremendous at the plate in 2017, but it didn’t carry over last year (he was slightly below-average). Maybe he’d make some sense as a buy-low option nevertheless, but the White Sox have Jose Abreu around, too, so you’re basically bringing in guy who might be a below-average hitter to be your DH. (And also to squeeze out Daniel Palka as your other DH.)
There have been rumors about the White Sox shopping Abreu, though, so you wonder if this is part of a series of maneuvers … or if it really is part of an effort to woo Machado. Not, like, the primary thing – money is going to be the primary thing – but a selling point that other suitors cannot offer.
Given that the White Sox are the buzz team for Bryce Harper, and they won’t be signing both (if either), this bears close watching.
