It has been a busy night for the Chicago White Sox (and fake reporters). Before people could even finish wagging their fingers at GM Rick Hahn for giving a massive four-year deal to closer David Robertson, Hahn completed a much rumored deal for the White Sox to acquire Jeff Samardzija from the Oakland Athletics for IF Marcus Semien, SP Chris Bassitt and an additional player.
Big-league source tells Chronicle: #Athletics to get RHP Chris Bassitt from #WhiteSox as well as infielder Marcus Semien (as expected).
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) December 9, 2014
A third player also likely to be in that deal for Samardzija, source tells the Chronicle. So Bassitt, Semien, third player to #Athletics.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) December 9, 2014
With Shark returning to Chicago, the White Sox suddenly boast one of the top rotation trios in the AL with Chris Sale and Jose Quintana. Add to that all their other additions and the Pale Hose figure to challenge the Tigers for the AL Central crown, and we don’t even know if the White Sox are done with their shopping spree yet.
On the Oakland side of things, their odd offseason continues. They shed a top pitcher, but also fill a big gap in their big league roster with Semien who should slot in at shortstop. He only mustered a .301 wOBA in his abbreviated rookie campaign, but is still a quality young player for the A’s bizarre attempt at contending while rebuilding. Bassitt put up decent numbers in five starts for the White Sox in 2014, but is not considered to be much more than a #5 starter. As such, that unnamed third player is going to have to be pretty good to make this deal look good for Billy Beane. No matter who it is, it is hardly a package that will make the A’s forget they gave up Addison Russell to rent Samardzija for half a season.
