The Washington Nationals and Kansas City Royals agreed on a trade earlier today, sending relief pitcher Hunter Harvey to Kansas City in exchange for infield prospect Cayden Wallace and competitive balance pick #39 in the upcoming MLB draft. While this trade seems irrelevant for the White Sox, it actually benefits them. The benchmark for the reliever market is now set, which is important for a White Sox team looking to trade multiple bullpen arms over the next few weeks.
Harvey was having a good but not great season in Washington and is also under control for the 2025 season. Those two factors likely netted Washington to get a better-than-expected return for a non-closer reliever. Wallace was Kansas City’s #2 prospect before the trade, and the #39 overall pick in the draft is not an insignificant acquisition either. On paper, it seems Washington got a nice haul for Harvey. That is good news for the White Sox and their tradable bullpen assets.
Michael Kopech is the closest White Sox equivalent to Harvey. While Harvey is having the better season of the two, Kopech also has another year of team control and has shown flashes of devastating stuff. Despite his inconsistencies, Kopech’s 2024 strikeout rate is over 4% higher than Harvey’s. While the White Sox likely will not get a Harvey-type return for Kopech, his talent is undeniable. Today’s trade is a positive development for the market of a guy coming off of an immaculate inning the other day.
John Brebbia is another reliever who will likely receive a fair amount of interest around the league and whose trade value benefits from the deal today. Brebbia is older and more expensive than Harvey, but is having a comparable season from a statistical standpoint. Relievers are hot commodities every trade deadline, and considering Brebbia’s track record and durability, Chicago should also be able to get back something of value for him.
From a value standpoint, Kopech and Brebbia are likely the two most obvious beneficiaries of this trade. However, Tanner Banks’ value could have just increased because of his team control and ability to miss bats from the left side. Even Michael Soroka could generate some interest in this reliever market, given his 3.49 ERA, 3.34 FIP, and ridiculous 15.1 K/9 since moving to the bullpen full-time in mid-May.
As one of this year’s biggest trade deadline sellers, the White Sox organization needs to keep an eye out for what other teams are doing and how the dynamics of the trade market are taking shape. The Nationals and Royals trade today is a prime example. While that trade does not directly impact Chicago, it has significance regarding how the White Sox can value their relievers and what they should expect in return. Today’s events are a positive development, and it is only a matter of time before we start seeing the White Sox start trading away their own bullpen arms.
