The White Sox acquired outfielder Dominic Fletcher in a commerce with the Diamondbacks final week, although the deal could have been one thing of an either-or proposition. Based on USA At present’s Bob Nightengale, the Sox had the choice of choosing both Fletcher or Jake McCarthy within the deal, with pitching prospect Cristian Mena nonetheless headed again to the D’Backs because the return piece within the one-for-one commerce.
Fletcher and McCarthy share an analogous profile as 26-year-old, left-handed hitting outfielders who can play any of the three positions on the grass. McCarthy was the thirty ninth total choose of the 2018 draft and has extra Main League expertise, with a .261/.331/.380 slash line over 736 plate appearances within the Present. A fourth-place end in NL Rookie of the 12 months voting in 2022 appeared to trace at McCarthy’s potential as a constructing block for the Snakes, but a tricky 2023 season noticed him relegated to the minors after which to the Diamondbacks’ bench because the yr developed. Arizona’s willingness to maneuver on from both participant and the Southsiders’ choice to take Fletcher offers some fascinating wrinkles to this commerce, and it is likely to be fascinating to revisit this deal in just a few years’ time as soon as we see how the careers of Fletcher, McCarthy, and Mena have developed.
Right here’s extra from the Windy Metropolis’s two groups…
- Although the highest 4 within the Cubs rotation appears set and several other candidates are vying for the fifth starter’s job, Jakob Junis “not too long ago” drew some curiosity from Wrigleyville, as per The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma. The depth of the curiosity isn’t recognized, although it would’ve been one thing of a due diligence transfer by the Cubs since no formal supply was made. Junis’ expertise as a swingman implies that he wouldn’t have essentially even been within the rotation, so the Cubs might’ve been Junis to bolster the bullpen and likewise add much more depth to the beginning combine. In any case, Junis is not an choice, because the right-hander signed a one-year, $7MM contract with the Brewers final week.
- In one other piece from Mooney and Sharma, they take a look at the Cubs’ unsettled third base scenario. Patrick Knowledge and Nick Madrigal appear poised to get the majority of taking part in time, with Christopher Morel getting the occasional begin on the sizzling nook, and Miles Mastrobuoni or rookie Luis Vazquez offering additional depth. There’s sufficient uncertainty right here that Mooney/Sharma really feel the Cubs may once more make a commerce deadline transfer on the place, akin to their deal for Jeimer Candelario this previous summer season. In fact, the Cubs have additionally been linked to Matt Chapman this winter if the crew nonetheless had a bigger-ticket free agent improve in thoughts, although a longer-term reply may block prime prospect Matt Shaw, who has been figuring out as a 3rd baseman this offseason.
- Stories surfaced final month that the White Sox had been talking with growth firm Associated Midwest in regards to the potential of constructing a brand new ballpark on a portion of land in Chicago’s South Loop space. Associated Midwest not too long ago launched a collection of artist renderings to media (together with MLB.com’s Scott Merkin) about what this new stadium and the related “ballpark village” space may appear to be alongside the Chicago River, in addition to some proposed renderings of how the realm round Assured Fee Discipline might be developed if the Sox moved to a brand new web site. Clearly numerous hurdles nonetheless must be crossed with the White Sox, builders, civic and state officers, and plenty of different events earlier than this proposed ballpark might turn into a actuality, and the earliest doable opening date would appear to be 2030, for the reason that crew’s lease at Assured Fee Discipline runs by the 2029 season.
