The Chicago White Sox are in agreement to acquire veteran outfielder AJ Pollock from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for reliever Craig Kimbrel.
The 34-year-old Pollock hit .297 with 21 home runs and 69 RBIs last season for the Dodgers.
He now figures to be a fourth outfield option or somebody who could take at-bats as a designated hitter for the White Sox in 2022.
On paper, it looks like this deal is a big win for the Dodgers, but you have to look closer.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today points out an interesting fact about the trade and one of the ways it might end up benefitting the White Sox as well.
The #Dodgers, after balking in talks yesterday, have agreed to pay all of Kimbrel's $16 million salary in the trade for A.J. Pollock.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) April 1, 2022
Salary Dump
First of all, the White Sox already have Liam Hendriks and Kendall Graveman, two elite relievers from a year ago, and Chicago had also signed Joe Kelly.
But given the fact that the Dodgers are taking on all of Kimbrel’s salary, this is a big win for the White Sox as well.
They are no longer on the hook to pay the 33-year-old Kimbrel’s $16 million salary.
A bunch of cap space has potentially been freed up for White Sox general manager Rick Hahn to go out and do something else.
Chicago still looks like a solid team on paper after winning 93 games on their way to the AL Central title in 2021, so this move seems like more of a salary dump than anything else.
Regardless, they took Kimbrel’s salary off the books and have potentially some more flexibility.
They also get a productive veteran bat in Pollock, at $10 million in cash owed this year, who has power and can be a threat in their lineup.
We’ll see how the deal plays out and which side ultimately wins the deal.
NEXT: White Sox Expected To Lose Another Top Reliever For 2022