Red Sox Trade Reliever Jordan Hicks to White Sox in Prospect Deal

The Chicago White Sox have made headlines by trading for reliever Jordan Hicks from the Boston Red Sox. The deal also included right-hander David Sandlin, who has caught the attention of scouts.

Details of the Trade

As part of this trade agreement, the White Sox are taking on a considerable portion of Hicks’ salary. Hicks, 29, is owed $24 million over the next two seasons. The Red Sox will contribute $8 million to facilitate the deal.

This trade required the approval of Major League Baseball due to its financial implications. The White Sox previously traded outfielder Luis Robert Jr. to create payroll flexibility, enabling this strategic acquisition.

Impact on the White Sox

• The White Sox also signed free-agent reliever Seranthony Domínguez to a two-year, $20 million contract.
• They reached an agreement with outfielder Austin Hays for one year at $6 million.
• Additionally, the team signed left-hander Anthony Kay and infielder Munetaka Murakami for competitive roster enhancement.

Despite these efforts, the White Sox have struggled, losing over 100 games in each of the past three seasons, including a record 121 losses in 2024.

Player Profiles

Jordan Hicks joined the Red Sox in June 2023 amid injury concerns, including right shoulder tendinitis. During his time in Boston, he recorded an 8.20 ERA across 21 relief appearances.

The real asset for the White Sox in this transaction is David Sandlin. Ranked as the Red Sox’s No. 9 prospect, the 24-year-old showed versatility as both a starter and reliever last season. Sandlin completed 106 innings with a combined ERA of 4.50.

Conversely, Gage Ziehl, the prospect shipped to the Red Sox, was a fourth-round pick by the New York Yankees in the 2022 draft. The 22-year-old had a solid season, pitching at various levels and finishing with a 4.12 ERA over 107 innings.

Strategic Moves by the Red Sox

The Red Sox have strengthened their pitching depth by signing left-hander Ranger Suárez and trading for right-handers Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo. This has positioned them to consider trades for additional pitchers like Hicks.

The acquisition and trade strategy reflect both teams’ efforts to build competitive rosters for the future.