White Sox GM Rick Hahn and Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer began trade discussions on July 9, ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers reports, and it wasn’t until July 20 that the two sides reconnected for what became more intensive talks that led to a pair of major trades. In separate deals, the Sox acquired Ryan Tepera on July 29 and then a deadline-day blockbuster that saw Craig Kimbrel head to the south side of Chicago.
Nick Madrigal emerged as the top piece in the Kimbrel deal, though it wasn’t until the day of the trade that the White Sox also added right-hander Codi Heuer to make it a two-player package. That was enough to put the Sox ahead of a competitive market, and in Kimbrel, the team landed a player that Hahn and executive VP Ken Williams had both prioritized as a key acquisition to bolster the bullpen.
More on both the AL and NL Central divisions…
- Josh Donaldson continues to be bothered by soreness in his right hamstring, and he didn’t see any action for the second consecutive game. Over the Twins’ last 10 games, Donaldson has started twice and come off the bench three times, and manager Rocco Baldelli said the club is “still going to wait and see” if Donaldson can avoid the injured list. “JD is still a little sore and we are still working our way through, just figuring out a timeline as far as when he’ll be able to return,” Baldelli told Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press and other reporters.
- Matthew Boyd threw a live batting practice session at the Tigers’ Spring Training facility in Lakeland, manager A.J. Hinch told MLB.com’s Jason Beck and other reporters. Boyd hasn’t pitched since June 14 due to a triceps issue, so a move to the 60-day injured list could be in the works should Detroit require some 40-man roster space in the near future. Boyd’s BP session does represent some progress, and a proper minor league rehab assignment could follow provided Boyd doesn’t hit any setbacks. The left-hander was off to a solid start to the 2021 season, posting a 3.44 ERA over his first 70 2/3 innings.
- Reds manager David Bell provided an update on Art Warren, telling reporters (including The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Bobby Nightengale) that Warren will require roughly another month to recover from a left oblique strain. The rookie right-hander has already missed about four weeks due to the injury, which interrupted a strong beginning to Warren’s first season in Cincinnati. Warren struck out 36.2% of opposing batters while posting a 1.88 ERA over 14 1/3 innings out of the Reds’ bullpen.
- The Brewers announced that right-hander Dylan File has been activated off the 60-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Nashville. File underwent elbow surgery in February and has yet to pitch this season, apart from some minor league rehab outings. Considering that the Brewers are dealing with several bullpen absences due to injuries and a COVID-19 outbreak, it might not be out of the question that the 25-year-old File is called up to make his MLB debut before the 2021 season is through.
Cubs embarrass the city again.
PeteWard8 embarrasses the internet again
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
PeteWard8, Not as embarrassing as your IQ.
Eventually the White Sox will regret trading Madrgial. It’s just a matter if they win the World Series to justify it.
The man can hit, no doubt.
Yes, but injury prone and lack of power.
Not a Gold Glove quality player either.
Not getting enough HR’s from Moncada, so will settle for extra power that Caesar Hernandez provides through 2022 season, at least.
“His high baseball IQ is obvious in the field as well, where he’s a potential Gold Glover at second base.”
This is a copy and paste from pipeline actually calling him a potential Gold glove winner.
I like the addition of Madrigal. The Cubs aren’t looking for power, they want a contact hitter that will get on base, advance runners, and play smart baseball.
Gold glove isn’t the defense he showed when he was with the Sox.
A ring this year or next, I won’t even be a little mad.
I like his hitting, but even I don’t think we will.
Meh. Slappy is a poor man’s Darwin Barney.
Are you trying to become the ‘Dogbone’ of White Sox nation?
It’s confusing to me why you chose Darwin Barney as a Nick Madrigal comp? Barney never achieved a batting average higher than the .276 mark he put up with the Cubs in his first full season back in 2011, the second of 8 in his MLB career. Madrigal has hit above .300 in each of his two partial seasons with the White Sox.
The flipside of your choice is that Barney actually won a Gold Glove at 2B for the Cubs in 2012, similar to the honor bestowed upon former White Sox Yolmer Sanchez in 2019. Clearly each was deserving of their award which was hardly biased by any prodigious offensive numbers. I actually appreciate the Barney comp when it comes to Madrigal’s potential defense at 2B. Afterall, one of his better tools entering the 2018 MLB June Amateur Draft was Madrigal’s potential as a future Gold Glove second baseman by many amateur scouts. Madrigal hardly disappointed those projections during his minor league apprenticeship either. He was consistently ranked as the best defensive 2B prospect in addition to having elite contact skills at the plate.
If Madrigal fulfills those defensive projections at the MLB level by being a perennial GG contender in addition to vying for a BA title every year you will be looking at a regular All-Star and a potential HOF player down the road.
Are you really trying to say Darwin Barney was better than Madrigal? Cmon man! Get real. One guy was a serviceable player. The other has a shot at numerous batting titles
I think Ryan Theriot is a closer comp. Madrigal gives solid ABs but he did struggle at times defensively. High floor guy, real solid big leaguer but won’t be a perennial all-star. Heuer has some confidence & swag from a young pen guy. Both could be solid big leaguers for years to come. Kimbrel been REALLY good taking whole season into account, plus he has team option for ‘22. Hopefully works out really well for both teams.
Madrigal can hit for average and makes contact, but his lack of power, stolen bases and walks reduces his value significantly. Even with a high average last year, his OpS+ was barely above average. is also just an average defender.
He is better than most second basemen, but he can be replaced, and Hernandez has already demonstrated in a short sample he brings more to table than Madrigal. Add that to the already alarming injury history,I’m not particularly concerned.
Keep in mind they could also recoup value by trading Kimbrel in offseason.
If Madrigal maintains a career .300 average then it’s a great acquisition for the Cubs… Is it safe to say that Madrigal can/will maintain that pace? If he can develop 6-10HR power, then Madrigal could be a star! I think there is also a risk (and likelihood) that he eventually find himself in a slump…. If his contact isn’t elite, then Madrigal is of no service to an MLB team… I don’t think his ceiling is as high as people think, and I don’t think his floor is as low as people think… if he ends up somewhere in between, then he’s a dime dozen and a player of Hernandez caliber serves as an equally competent option
Suppose he simply maintains his current pace?
Maintaining that pace seems easier said then done, but maybe Madrigal is special… with longevity, he could be on his way to the HOF…. He should only get stronger as he gets older, and he really isn’t picking up hits with his speed… his ceiling is very high, but in order to be a productive major leaguer he needs to do something that very few can or have because he doesn’t offer any other tools besides contact
Madrigal is Glenn Beckett reincarnated.
“Beckett”
@DB I liked Madrigal and think he will be solid, but I think future HOF is a bit ridiculous. Nowhere near that kind of ceiling. A slap hitter who doesn’t strikeout much but also doesn’t walk or hit for power, he’s not going to be in any best 2b in MLB discussions in his career.
I mean 200 hits a year for 15 years…. Boom HOF… haha…. Like I said, easier said then done… Longevity would be key, and I’m skeptical… I think he could develop 6-10 HR power… I could see him being an AllStar if he can maintain his elite contact… IF
They won’t .
They won’t win the world series. Too many better teams out there.
File pitched at the AAA level while on rehab and looked solid, so it indeed does follow that he could be up in short order.
why are they using kimbrel to set up? man the only guy who has a chance to reach the all time save record
Craig Kimbrel and Liam Hendriks will share closer duties down the stretch and into the postseason. Often a key moment in a close game occurs in an inning other than the 9th. With a pair of proven closers manager Tony La Russa will have the option of utilizing one of his marquee relievers earlier in a contest.
Lou Piniella rode the trio of ‘Nasty Boys’ Norm Charlton, Rob Dibble and Randy Myers to a 1990 world series title for the Reds. The White Sox have three other power arms to add to their own ‘nasty’ mix in righty Michael Kopech and southpaws Aaron Bummer and Garrett Crochet, each of whom have been trusted with late inning pressure situations throughout the season.
It’s all good on the southside of Chicago when it comes to pitching. Aside from a lights-out bullpen, the White Sox also feature the premier starting rotation in the AL, if not in all of MLB. They rode their pitching staff to a 2005 championship. Their current unit is much deeper and far more elite when it comes to missing bats than that 2005 staff.
Little known Tim Layana was also part of the 1990 Reds Nasty Boys.
The issue here is that kimbrel has always struggled in non save situations
Kimbrel has already allowed more earned runs for the pale hose in 3.2 innings than he allowed in 36.2 innings in northern Chicago. (3 to 2, so it’s still close…)
Whatever they are doing to arrange and prepare him to pitch, maybe they should just give him whatever he needs to perform well. He was on something of a great run. Why would anyone not cater to his preferences? Is this a LaRussa decision?
Maybe because they signed a closer in the offseason to a 3-4 year contract and don’t want to upset his routine. Also, you’re referring very small sample sizes. Kimbrel very well could have performed similarly had he stayed with the Cubs.
neo
Why would anyone not cater to his preferences?
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Because that’s the type of thing that is guaranteed to annoy his teammates. It would be different if they had no closer. But they have an AS closer.
In addition, their current closer leads the league in saves. Why would they change closers?
Other then white Sox starting pitching sucks. Giolito cease will get pounded on playoffs . One and done
Giolito looked good in the playoffs last year with a no hitter through 6 innings… Id be more inclined to question Dallas Kuechel…. but he’s got a pretty good track record in playoffs too, and he really isn’t going to be asked to go against another ace…. White Sox are shaping up as a pretty quality all around team with players coming back from injury… I like their chances if they end up with home field advantage
Kimberly will not come close to the all-time saves record. That doesn’t mean he’s not a terrific reliever, because he is.
Kimbrel… Curse you, auto-correct!
Kimbrel spits the bit in postseason
He was bad in 2018, but his overall postseason ERA is 3.68 against playoff-caliber teams. Not excellent but very solid.
He will get his chances.
Presently, Matthew Boyd’s career record is 37-60.
If he is to reach 40 wins in 2021, he’ll likely need to return by the end of August.
He’s been better lately. I think he has quit trying to strike everyone out because his strikeouts are down along with his HRs allowed. Great man, too. Glad to have him in Detroit.
Surprised that the Twins didn’t trade Donaldson.
I like Donaldson, but the market for an aging 3rd baseman who can’t stay healthy isn’t very big.
The twins have made it known they aren’t looking to rebuild, but rather retool and compete in 2022. Donaldson is under contract for some years. There also wasn’t much of a trade market for a third baseman. Not Trading him doesn’t shock me
Unless the Twins are trying to do a full rebuild, then it made more sense to hold onto Donaldson. They would have been trading him when his value is low. That would have meant a return of a few lottery picks. If he can get healthy at some point, he’s likely to hit well enough to produce more value than what they would have gotten in return.
He isn’t bringing back anything of value unless they pay part of that contract/send other players with him.
I don’t understand why they don’t just put him on the IL since we aren’t playing for anything now anyway and the young guys can use the at bats.
Very long home stand starting tonight. The possibility of him playing probably helps to sell tickets (or at least they hope it does).
Where do you people come up with these narratives. I haven’t ever heard one person say I’m going to watch 40 year old often injured Donaldson tonight. Nobody in Minnesota has ever said that other than when they first signed him maybe. At this point unless they’re playing the jays and Canadians come to watch Donaldson.
This notion some broke down veteran would sell any tickets whatsoever seems ridiculous.
Cabrera is selling tickets, but Donaldson is FAR from Cabrera
The problem with Donaldson is the cost and his age…. he doesn’t exactly stay healthy… Your only return for Donaldson is the 57million in salary relief, so you’re better off keeping him
Reds fans are experiencing what we Mariners fans went through with Art Warren- he flashed serious potential but just couldn’t stay healthy. A lot of M’s fans, myself included questioned the move to release Warren but it’s easy to see why Dipoto released him, it was definitely the right move.
At least Donaldson isn’t unavailable for the Mets…oh wait.
If only Donaldson’s hammy was as loose as his tongue…
3 comments on the article. Nice.