Heat is on around Sale, but White Sox want major haul
WHETHER the White Sox will trade Chris Sale has revolved around a game of chicken:
Would an interested team blink and give up the elite, ready-now player that Chicago was demanding, such as Trea Turner, Dansby Swanson or Alex Bregman, or would the White Sox relent and do a very good deal, believing it was best to launch a rebuild and fill a needing system with depth and quality?
There were indications Monday night it was the White Sox changing course. An executive from a team that has been pursuing Sale said he thought it was an “80-20” likelihood Sale would get dealt to the Nationals. A source said Washington had put touted outfield prospect Victor Robles in tandem with Lucas Giolito, a well-regarded pitching prospect who lost some of his luster in 2016, and that duo fronting a package has helped the Nationals gain some traction in talks.
Washington has been trying to make a significant strike as essentially the home team at the winter meetings. But the Nats lost out on Mark Melancon to the Giants and found the asking price for Andrew McCutchen too steep, considering his down 2016. And they kind of were prioritizing Sale all along anyway.
They envision teaming him with NL Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, a healthy Stephen Strasburg and the unsung Tanner Roark to negate the biggest strength of their main NL East rival, the Mets, by assembling a super rotation, as well.
There was a sense earlier Monday the Astros and Nationals had emerged as the most serious pursuers of Sale, with the Braves taking more of a secondary spot. There also were reports the Red Sox had inquired, and as of Monday night, there was no deal and, therefore, a chance Chicago could pivot in another direction.
The White Sox set a high price on Sale at last year’s trade deadline, so high even interested teams such as the Dodgers thought Chicago did not really want to deal the lefty. But the attitude has been different this offseason, the White Sox coming to the realization a rebuild is in order.