The Chicago White Sox made a trade on Friday that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
According to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, the White Sox sent Andrew Vaughn to the Milwaukee Brewers for Aaron Civale.
Civale, a 30-year old right-handed starter, had just requested a trade after a near-5 ERA in five starts this season had him ticketed for the bullpen.
Vaughn, 27, is the former No. 3 overall pick who isn’t that far removed from productive MLB seasons.
Given that the White Sox are 23-46, it seems odd to give up on the guy with more talent in such a deal.
Vaughn hasn’t delivered on all his potential, but he does have a .248 career average with 77 homers in a tough era for hitting, especially in what has been a rough White Sox lineup during his tenure.
His best seasons came in 2022 and 2023, with .271-17HR and .258-21HR.
Vaughn struggled early this season, with a .189 average and 43 strikeouts in 185 at bats, so the White Sox sent him to Triple-A.
Things had been rough so far down at Charlotte, where Vaughn was batting .211.
It makes sense for the Brewers to take a chance on Vaughn and see if there’s anything left in the tank.
But for the White Sox, all they get back is a guy who they hope can eat innings the rest of the way in another lost season. It’s not a particularly exciting return for a guy who once was thought of as the crown jewel of their farm system.
