The White Sox didn’t just tinker at the deadline. They came out of it with four new big league pieces, and Chris Getz spent the weekend trying to patch some real holes while also taking a couple swings on upside.
Chicago entered Tuesday with a three-game lead in the American League Central, so the front office had a chance to play both sides of the board: reinforce the roster now and keep one eye on what the club might need beyond this season. The result was a busy deadline headlined by a starter, a reliever, an outfielder and a catcher.
The biggest name of the bunch was Luis Castillo, who arrived from Seattle in a Saturday night deal that sent RHP Seranthony Dominguez, OF Nolan Jones and C Boston Smith the other way. Castillo, a three-time All-Star, hasn’t looked like the same pitcher this year.
He’s at a 5.06 ERA, and his changeup - long his best pitch - hasn’t been featured as much. Even so, the White Sox are betting on what he can still become, not just what he’s been lately.
The contract is the real hook here. Castillo is under control for the 2027 season at $22.5 million, and the Mariners taking on Dominguez, who is owed $12.5 million next year, helps soften the financial hit.
That effectively turns Castillo into something close to a one-year, $10 million arm for 2027. If Chicago gets the All-Star version of him back, this could end up looking like a bargain.
If not, he still profiles as a pricey innings-eater who can help shield younger pitchers. It’s a worthwhile swing, even if the White Sox could have used one more starter before Monday’s deadline.
Grade: B
If the Castillo move was about upside, the best value play of the weekend might have been the one that came after midnight Sunday. The White Sox landed right-hander Huascar Brazoban from the Mets for RHPs Gabe Davis and Zach Franklin, and this one checks a lot of boxes.
Brazoban, 36, has put together a breakout season in New York with a 2.56 ERA across 52.2 innings. He’s getting ground balls more than half the time and missing barrels with a sinker-changeup mix that keeps hitters uncomfortable.
There’s also a long runway here. Brazoban didn’t reach the majors until age 32, which means Chicago controls him through 2029.
That matters, especially for a pitcher whose game is built more on command and movement than pure velocity. He should fit neatly into the middle-to-late innings alongside Jordan Hicks and Grant Taylor.
The only gripe is that the White Sox could have aimed another one of these deadline bullets at the rotation instead of the bullpen, but in a vacuum, this is a sharp add.
Grade: A
The most eyebrow-raising move came when the White Sox picked up Brenton Doyle from the Rockies for RHP Mason Adams and SS Carlos Vielma. An outfielder didn’t exactly scream priority for this roster, which is why this trade stands out as the most puzzling of the group. Adams, 26, had been getting close to his big league debut after coming back from Tommy John surgery earlier this year, so Chicago gave up a pitcher with some real near-term value.
Doyle brings something different. He’s a two-time Gold Glove winner and an elite center fielder, but the bat has been the question after a 23-homer season in 2024.
Over the last two seasons, he’s struggled to carry that offensive production forward. Still, there’s enough power upside and defensive impact here to dream on him as more than just a glove-first outfielder.
If the White Sox can coax more consistency out of him at the plate, they may have a top-tier center fielder with 3.5 years of control. If they can’t, then the package starts to look more like speed and defense for the sake of speed and defense, which Chicago already has in Luisangel Acuna.
It’s a gamble, though one the hitting group has earned some trust to make.
Grade: C+
The last move may turn out to matter most. With Kyle Teel injured again, catcher was a clear need, and the White Sox addressed it by bringing in Joey Bart from the Giants for RHP Duncan Davitt. It wasn’t the marquee name some fans were hoping for, but it was an upgrade, and that mattered more than the splash.
Bart, the former second-overall pick, gives Chicago a more stable option than Edgar Quero, who he’ll replace on the big league roster. His defense has become workable at the major league level, and he’s posted a .734 OPS since the start of the 2024 season.
He’s also been strong in the ABS challenge game, converting over 60% of his chances from behind the plate, while both Quero and Drew Romo have hovered around 40%. Bart has bounced around in recent years, but the expectation is that he’ll stay put in Chicago and remain on the roster even after Teel is expected back in September.
Could the White Sox have aimed higher? Sure. But they needed a catcher, they got one, and Bart should give them a more dependable option moving forward.
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