Three trade chips for Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox fire sale has already begun.

Aaron Bummer was traded to the Braves early in the offseason, adding pieces to help fill out the roster. Dylan Cease was traded to the Padres with two weeks left in spring training as the White Sox acquired three of San Diego's top 10 prospects. As the White Sox currently have the worst record in the majors, they will be active sellers leading up to the trade deadline.

Which players could be on the move? Let's take a look at three possible trade chips for the White Sox.

Tommy Pham - OF

The White Sox would love to be able to trade Eloy Jimenez. There is no questioning that the talented outfielder can be a game-changer when healthy. The problem is that he simply cannot stay on the diamond. Bruce Levine from 670 The Score reported in January that Jimenez was garnering very little interest. As he is back on the injured list and is expected to miss six to eight weeks, it may be more difficult to find a taker.

Instead, Pham is the more logical trade candidate. He signed in mid-April as the White Sox sought any production from their outfield. Pham has lived up to expectations, producing a .304/.355/.443 batting line in 124 plate appearances with three homers and seven doubles. He is also no stranger to trade deadline deals, having been traded at the deadline in 2018, 2022 and 2023.

Tim Hill - RP

Every contending team wants to strengthen their bullpen at the trade deadline. Effective left-handed relievers, in particular, are highly sought after. The White Sox may have such a piece in reliever Tim Hill.

Hill had his worst statistical showing in 2023, posting a 5.48 ERA and a 1.647 WHIP in his 44.1 innings. He signed a one-year deal worth $1.8 million to join the White Sox as he hoped to rebuild his career. This season has been a mixed bag of results for Hill, who has posted a 2.84 ERA, albeit with a 1.842 WHIP over his 19 innings. He also has reverse splits, with lefties hitting .382/.462/.471 against him in 39 plate appearances. However, his strong track record against lefties and low salary could make Hill an attractive trade chip.

Paul DeJong - SS

There was a time when DeJong was one of the top power hitters at shortstop. He belted 25 homers in 2017 as he finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year vote. Then, in 2019, he hit a career-best 30 home runs as he was named to the All-Star Game. The future seemed bright for DeJong.

Instead, he was unable to replicate that success. He went through three different teams in 2023 before signing with the White Sox in an attempt to resurrect his career. DeJong has posted a .232/.287/.417 batting line in 164 plate appearances, hitting seven homers and seven doubles. He could be a relatively low-cost option for a team looking to replace an injured shortstop or in need of a depth option.