Sox trade Kimbrel for AJ Pollock

[kickingtelevision]

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1509927350284169217

[notjimrose]

I hope this isn't an April Fools joke, but reports are the White Sox have traded Craig Kimbrel to the Dodgers for AJ Pollock

https://twitter.com/Feinsand/status/1509926188097151002

[ChiTownTrojan]

From the looks of it this is real, from Passan:

Kimbrel has been traded to the Dodgers for AJ Pollack.

https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1509927295456325637?s=20&t=ypuW31YwYyW-oeytiVmV8A

[Tragg]

If true, solid mitigation.

[ChiTownTrojan]

My initial thoughts are that I like this a lot. An actual OF! Who can hit, too!

Eloy/Robert/Pollock is a really good OF. One of the best in the league.

[thomas35forever]

We dump Kimbrel AND get a legit veteran outfielder? Seems like a win-win.

[ChiTownTrojan]

I doubted that Hahn could pull this off, and I criticized him heavily for picking up that option on Kimbrel. I'm eating crow now. Well done.

[Frater Perdurabo]

Pollock is definitely an upgrade. That said, he hasn’t played any RF in recent years - mostly in center but increasingly in left of late.

He’s a RH hitter but he still has a career .802 OPS v. RHP.

[ChiTownTrojan]

Pollock's career splits: .802 OPS vs. RHP, .859 vs. LHP.
In 2021: .902 vs. RHP, .872 vs. LHP.

So even though he's right-handed, he should help the Sox problem against RHP.

[DeployEloy]

Keep him healthy and we got a terriffic piece and save some deadline deal money

[whitesox5187]

Seems like a pretty good trade.

[Frater Perdurabo]

I have to imagine that acquiring Pollock means this is probably the end of the road for Adolfo (unless he goes unclaimed by another team and agrees to stay with the Sox on a minor league contract), and also probably that Vaughn starts the year in Charlotte.

[ChiSoxNationPres]

Love the trade. Pollack still is playing at a high level and can still hit vs RHP and play all 3 OF positions. I didn't want Kimbrel as a non closer anyways. Sox have a really good OF with Vaughn, Sheets and Engel backing up and getting ABs at DH.

[Foulke You]

I like this trade. Sox lose Kimbrel's uncertainty and gain an outfielder who can rake when he's on the field. The only knock on Pollock has been health over his career. A left handed hitter would have been preferred but Pollock doesn't have dramatic RHP/LHP splits. Stat line is very similar regardless of "handedness".

[HomeFish]

I like it.