The Chicago White Sox have certainly had a less than desirable season.
After Wednesday night’s loss to their crosstown rivals in the Chicago Cubs, the South Siders dropped to 41-62 on the season.
They are now 12.5 games out of first place in the weak AL Central and are 16 games back in the Wild Card race.
However, despite their current standing, it appears unlikely that ace Dylan Cease will be traded at this year’s trade deadline, which is fast approaching.
On Twitter, Bob Nightengale revealed that several teams have checked with the White Sox on Cease’s availability, but have all received the same answer.
Several teams who have checked in with the Chicago #WhiteSox to inquire about the availability of ace Dylan Cease, say they continue to get the same response:
"No.''
The White Sox are not interested in a massive rebuild and still hope to contend next year.— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 26, 2023
It appears that Cease is off the board for this year’s trade deadline and that the White Sox are looking to hold onto him.
Nightengale notes that despite their rough 2023 season, the White Sox are hoping to bounce back into contention again in 2024 and are not interested in engaging in a full rebuild.
Cease is a piece that the White Sox are likely looking to build around for the future and is somebody that the team values.
But it’s clear that the White Sox, despite their record, do not intend to go into tear-down mode and appear intent on bouncing back into contention in 2024.
The team had signed Mike Clevinger and Andrew Benintendi this past offseason to bolster their roster.
However, the additions did little to help the South Siders, as they now sit in fourth place in the AL Central and own the third-worst record in the American League.
NEXT: MLB Insider Notes A Potential Surprise White Sox Trade Candidate
