The White Sox had every reason to be tempted by Mason Miller, but patience looks like the smarter play.
Miller’s July was ridiculous: he didn’t allow an earned run, won NL Reliever of the Month and kept flashing the kind of stuff that makes rival clubs dream about a late-inning fix. The Padres closer has been on a tear all season, putting up a 0.76 ERA with 88 strikeouts in just 47.1 innings. He’s the kind of arm that changes the shape of a bullpen the second he walks in.
That’s why his name kept popping up in trade chatter. The Yankees and Mariners were among the teams mentioned as possible fits, and the White Sox were a surprising club to enter the conversation as well. With Chicago sitting three games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the AL Central entering Tuesday, the idea was obvious: add an elite closer and push the roster closer to playoff-ready.
But the price tag would have been brutal.
Any serious run at Miller likely would have started with top lefties Noah Schultz or Hagen Smith, and the Padres probably would have pushed for Caleb Bonemer, the White Sox’s top prospect, as part of the conversation. Miller is under control through 2030, so San Diego had every reason to ask for a haul. For a White Sox team still sorting out which parts of this breakout are truly permanent, that kind of move would have been a massive gamble.
And make no mistake, this White Sox surge is real. Chicago went 13-12 in July, and while that doesn’t mean the club is suddenly finished products across the board, it does reflect a genuine turnaround from 2025. The roster has plenty of talent, but too many pieces remain unproven enough to justify dealing away premium future value for a closer, even one as dominant as Miller.
That future value matters. USA Today ranked the White Sox with the eighth-best farm system in baseball, and that kind of prospect capital is exactly what gives a team flexibility later. Right now, Chicago may be one of the most intriguing teams in the sport, but turning that into a preemptive all-in move for a bullpen arm would have been too aggressive.
In the end, Miller stayed in San Diego after the Padres ripped off an 8-1 run before the deadline, and the White Sox never had to decide whether to meet that asking price. That probably works out just fine for Chicago.
If they’re still in this position next July, maybe the conversation changes. For now, holding the line was the right call.
In Other News...
White Sox Already Look Smart For Moving On From Seranthony Dominguez
The White Soxs deadline dealings have already given the front office a fresh talking point, and it starts with the decision to move Seranthony Dominguez to Seattle in the deal that brought Luis Castillo to Chicago. Dominguez had been brought in to handle the closer role, but the fit never really had time to take hold before the Sox turned the page and added another arm in Huascar Brazoban as part of a broader bullpen reset.
Dominguezs first appearance for the Mariners only sharpened the picture for Chicago, since he was hit hard in limited work. Meanwhile, the White Sox are waiting on Castillo and Brazoban to make their debuts, and those arrivals could quickly determine whether this was just a roster shuffle or the kind of move that changes the feel of the pitching staff down the stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Davis Martins Rough Stretch Just Put The White Sox Rotation On Edge
Davis Martins rough run since July has added another layer of uncertainty to a White Sox rotation already under pressure. His first inning against the Red Sox after the trade deadline stood out as especially shaky, and the broader concern around his recent results has only sharpened the focus on a staff that has been asked to carry more weight after Chicagos deadline moves.
What makes Martins slide more complicated is the possibility that hitters may be picking something up. Martin has already acknowledged the possibility of a pitch-tipping issue, and observers have raised the same concern as the White Sox try to sort through what has changed and what, if anything, needs fixing. With the front offices additions now under scrutiny, Martins next few outings could say as much about the rotations stability as any move made in late July. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Just Made Austin Hays An Afterthought In Their Outfield Shakeup
The White Soxs outfield shuffle took another sharp turn when they designated Everson Pereira for assignment and brought in Brenton Doyle from the Rockies, a move that quickly pushed Austin Hays further into the background. Hays arrived with some hope of giving Chicago a veteran bat in the outfield mix, but his stay never really got rolling, and the roster turnover around him has only added to the sense that the Sox are moving on.
Hays, who spent time on the injured list after a brief run with the club, is now on release waivers and expected to clear because of the salary still attached to his deal. If he gets back to full health, there could still be interest from other teams down the road, but for Chicago the immediate message is clear: the outfield picture has changed, and Hays is no longer part of the clubs plans. [Read more 🡒]