The post White Sox trade outfielder Austin Slater to the Yankees appeared first on Sox On 35th.
The White Sox have finally made their first move of the trade deadline season, sending outfielder Austin Slater to the New York Yankees. In return, they are acquiring right-handed pitcher Gage Ziehl.
Signed for a 1-year, $1.75 million deal in the offseason, Austin Slater was always viewed as a potential trade chip for the Sox. Although his numbers dipped last season, he has always been known as a lefty-masher throughout his baseball career. This year was no different, as he has posted an .859 OPS against lefties throughout the 2025 season. The Yankees had been rumored to be in the market for a right-handed hitting outfielder, so the fit with this acquisition makes plenty of sense.
Originally drafted in the eighth round by the Giants in 2014, Slater had a breakthrough campaign during 2020 when he slashed .282/.408/.506 with a 150 wRC+ and 1.0 fWAR in 31 of the team’s 60 games. He would carry over this success from 2021 to 2023, hitting .257/.345/.412 with 24 homers, 86 RBI, 113 wRC+, and 3.4 bWAR in 343 games.
The 2024 season was a different story as Slater split time between the Giants, Reds, and Orioles. Between the trio of teams, he hit a combined .209/.321/.266 with a 76 wRC+ and -0.1 fWAR in 212 plate appearances. Albeit on the smaller end, the 33-game sample size during his second half with Baltimore featured a .246/.342/.333 slash with a 102 wRC+ and 0.5 bWAR in 79 plate appearances, similar numbers to what he’s posted in 2025.
The trade ended up being a 1-for-1 swap, as the Sox are bolstering their system’s pitching depth with Ziehl as the return piece. A 4th-round pick in 2024, Ziehl is lauded for his command, posting a minuscule 1.53 BB/9 rate so far this season. While he doesn’t post elite strikeout numbers, he possesses a solid arsenal that includes a fastball that tops out at 96 and plays up with his command. His best pitch is his slider, which sits in the mid-80s and can miss bats. He can also use a changeup that plays well when he commands it; however, that is the pitch he has the least ability to command right now.
This season, Ziehl has pitched all the way up to Double-A, although he is currently listed on the High-A roster. He holds a 4.15 ERA across three levels, with a 3.62 FIP and 3.41 xFIP showing that he has run into a bit of bad luck. At 22 years old, he could move relatively quickly through the system, with the ceiling to be a back-end starter at the MLB level.
This is a developing story. More to come.
Featured Photo: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The post White Sox trade outfielder Austin Slater to the Yankees appeared first on Sox On 35th.