Skip to content

Report: White Sox seeking more than 'Shelby Miller deal' for Sale

Joe Robbins / Getty Images Sport / Getty

One of the hottest names on the offseason trading block is Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale, and if clubs are interested in acquiring the 27-year-old to fortify their starting rotation they're going to have to pay a hefty price, one higher than the Arizona Diamondbacks paid last year.

One major-league executive told ESPN's Jayson Stark the White Sox are asking for "the Shelby Miller deal" plus two additional pieces in exchange for Sale.

The Diamondbacks traded 2015 No.1 overall pick Dansby Swanson, Gold Glove winner Ender Inciarte, and pitching prospect Aaron Blair to the Braves in exchange for Miller and minor leaguer Gabe Speier in December 2015.

Miller went on to disappoint during his first season in the desert, posting a 3-12 record with a 6.15 ERA across 20 starts, so the addition of two further pieces for the ever-reliable Sale doesn't seem far-fetched.

Career Statistics

PITCHER AGE GS IP ERA SO WHIP
Chris Sale 27 148 1110 3.00 1244 1.06
Shelby Miller 26 116 676.1 3.66 553 1.30

While a rival general manager said at the end of November the asking price for Sale was "through the roof," it doesn't seem like teams such as the Nationals and Atlanta Braves are shying away from discussions surrounding the side-slinging Sale, especially if the asking price drops.

"I think the price is going to come down ... and I think they're going to move him," an NL executive told Stark. "In fact, I'd be surprised if they don't."

In 2017, Sale posted a 17-10 record with a 3.34 ERA across 226 2/3 innings, finishing third in the AL with 233 strikeouts.

Sale is under team control for three more seasons, but is eligible to become a free agent in 2018 if his two team options are declined. If Sale does play through the entirety of his current deal, he'd only be owed a very reasonable $38 million.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox