That’s All, Folks!

In an ultimate act of bravado, the third-place, 51-51 Chicago White Sox head into the final 60 games of the season having made a singular addition at the trade deadline.

Jake Diekman.

Jake Diekman is a mediocre lefty from Boston, sporting a -0.5 WAR in 2022 and having trouble finding the plate. And GM Rick Hahn did such a poor job in this trade that despite giving up at least an equal asset in good-glove, no-hit Reese McGuire to a team in fairly dire need of a backup, barring disaster he will have to send additional money or a player to finalize the Diekman deal. Oh, and he is also on the hook for $3.5 million for Diekman in 2023 and a $1 million buyout (or $4 million) in 2024, his age-37 season.

Masterful.

Minnesota added three arms: All-Star closer Jorge Lopez from Baltimore, starter Tyler Mahle from Cincinnati, and extra arm Michael Fulmer from intradivisional rival Detroit. Cleveland didn’t add, but didn’t sell, either.

The White Sox are in trouble.

And, they are uninventive and lazy.

Don’t forget the Yankees sending Joey Gallo, who for whatever limitations can field the hell out of a corner OF spot, to Los Angeles for the Dodgers’ No. 15 prospect. Granted, L.A.’s No. 15 prospect is like a top-five White Sox farmhand, but still, it was not an obvious seller’s market this deadline.

However, Hahn has some words of consolation. You, White Sox fan, are in his thoughts.