Trade Opens Door For Turner In Chicago
CHICAGO—After acquiring Todd Frazier in a three-team trade from the Reds, White Sox general manager Rick Hahn acknowledged paying a high price for the slugging third baseman.
“It’s never easy to give up homegrown or quality young talent,” Hahn said. “At the same time, we certainly are very aware that you have to give up something to get something.”
To land Frazier from the Reds, the Sox sent outfielder Trayce Thompson and second baseman Micah Johnson to the Dodgers. Righthander Frankie Montas also went to Los Angeles.
Chicago was able to include Montas in the Frazier deal because it has some impressive righthanded pitching depth, including Erik Johnson and Carson Fulmer, the Sox’s first-round pick (No. 8 overall) last year, who is scheduled to open 2016 at Double-A Birmingham and could be in Chicago’s rotation by summer.
Jacob Turner, 24, is another righthander to keep an eye on. Last season, Turner was limited to two starts with Double-A Tennessee before having elbow surgery in July that required four months of recovery. The White Sox claimed Turner off waivers from the Cubs and signed him to a one-year, $1.5 million deal. Turner did not have full-blown Tommy John surgery, and he should be ready to compete for a starting job or spot in the White Sox’s bullpen from Day 1 of spring training.
“He’s always started and he will come into spring training with an opportunity to compete for a spot in the rotation,” Hahn said. “We feel very good about where he is from a health standpoint and where he is in his off-season program. We think he could provide us with another opportunity in the rotation come Opening Day. If, for some reason, that doesn’t work out or we go a different direction, then we do think he has the strong potential to help us out of the bullpen as well. Now that he is healthy, we’re happy to have him.”
CHI-LITES
• The White Sox receive a compensatory pick from the Giants, who signed free-agent starter Jeff Samardzija. Chicago has three Top 50 picks in the upcoming draft.
• The White Sox signed catcher Hector Sanchez, the former Giants backup who was non-tendered in December, to a minor league deal.
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