Red Sox agree to get Chris Sale from White Sox

The rebuild became apparent Tuesday afternoon at the winter meetings when Chicago sent its top starter, left-hander Chris Sale, to Boston for four players, including top prospect Yoan Moncada.

Chris Sale was traded to the Boston Red Sox after posting a 17-10 record with a 3.34 ERA over a career-high 226 2/3 innings in 2016. Joining a super rotation with David Price and Rick Porcello makes it all the better. But they’ll still have a formidable offense, Craig Kimbrel in the back end, and they also acquired set-up man Tyler Thornburg from the Brewers earlier in the morning. Add in a bullpen that will return its closer and a lineup that was the best in baseball previous year and should be expected to be atop the league again in 2017, even without Ortiz, and you have the makings of a juggernaut.

There are plenty of positives and negatives to draw from the most recent chapter in Dealin’ Dave’s biography.

Chicago finished 78-84 in fourth place in the five-team AL Central last season. According to the latest Steamer projections, Sale is expected to go 15-9 with a 3.44 ERA for Boston next year, finishing a very close second to Cleveland Indians ace Corey Kluber in wins above replacement.

You’re doing pretty well when your third-best starter is the reigning Cy Young Award victor.

Currently, the Red Sox’s front three rotation consists of Sale, reigning AL Cy Young award victor Rick Porcello and lefty David Price. At age 27 and entering his prime, Chris Sale and the Chicago White Sox have been exploring trade possibilities. I’m sure Sale was leading the charge when the team almost boycotted a game to show support for their teammate and his son. He was suspended for 50 games in July 2015 after testing positive for Oxilofrine, a stimulant that’s banned. “You’re glad when you finally get the ball”, Sale said.

Kopech, 20, was the Red Sox top pitching prospect and expected to pitch for the Sea Dogs in 2017. Awesome. Can’t see this going wrong.

“It’s an honor. I mean, you look at these guys – Porcello, he lives down here in Southwest Florida, as well, so it’s nice”. I needed to show people that I’m still out here to compete and I’m still out here to get better and with the little bit of time I had, I tried to show to the best of my ability that I’m going to compete, I’m going to be a good pitcher.

The Red Sox signed Moncada in March 2015 for a $31.5-million bonus, the largest for an amateur player, and paid $31.5 million in tax. Mike Trout comparisons aren’t handed out every day. He said he didn’t think the Yankees were one piece – even if it’s an all-world piece – from contending.

Said Nationals GM Mike Rizzo: “We put a lot of effort into it and thought we made a good, valiant effort … and we fell short”.