2 Chicago White Sox pitchers become trade candidates after Rays deal

When the trade deadline rolls around, the Chicago White Sox will be one of the biggest sellers in MLB. They started the action a bit early when they dealt catcher Matt Thaiss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

But the White Sox still have more to offer in the trade market, namely Luis Robert Jr. While his numbers are down this year, he still leads the league with 21 steals. Depending on Chicago’s asking price, Robert will still be one of the more coveted players around the league.

However, the White Sox have a sneaky pair of trade candidates for teams not seeking Robert’s services. Both Davis Martin and Cam Booser are players to watch as Chicago ponders their next move, via Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

“Two pitchers to watch are Davis Martin and Cam Booser. Martin, a 28-year-old right-hander, has a 3.49 ERA in 10 games (9 starts) this season, but the White Sox have a wealth of young pitching with more on the way, so if they receive an offer they like for Martin – who has five years of club control – it wouldn’t be a shock to see him get moved,” Fiensand wrote. “Ditto for Booser, a hard-throwing 33-year-old lefty reliever who could be a nice complimentary piece for a contender’s bullpen.”

Chicago White Sox cash in on Davis Martin 

Martin was originally a 14th-round pick for the White Sox back in 2018. He made his MLB debut in 2022, but was shipped back down to Triple-A a year later. But after an 11-game major league return in 2024, Chicago has given Martin another chance.

Over his first 11 appearances of the 2025 campaign – 10 starts – Martin holds a 3.45 ERA and a 38/16 K/BB ratio. His start against the Cincinnati Reds on May 14 showed the right-handers true potential. Martin went 6.2 innings, allowing just one run and no walks while striking out five. Three of his last six outings have seen him record at least five strikeouts, while Martin has walked one or fewer batters in four of his last five outings.

Perhaps the most intriguing thing about Martin is the fact he’s under team control through 2027. Any team acquiring him will have an opportunity to continue elevating his game and molding the right-hander into a rotation staple.

While the White Sox could decide to do the same, but they have four pitching prospects inside their top 10, via MLB Pipeline. Chicago may choose that it’s better off to cash in on Martin’s value now while opening up a rotation spot for the future.

Ditto for Cam Booser 

The White Sox acquired Booser from the Boston Red Sox heading into the 2025 campaign. In his first 24 appearances with the team, he has put up a 5.40 ERA and a 24/10 K/BB ratio.

While Booser’s ERA may look alarming on the surface, it has ballooned due to a pair of blow up outings. He allowed three runs in 0.1 of an inning against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 30 before doing the same thing against the Seattle Mariners on May 11. Seventeen of Booser’s appearances in 2025 have seen him leave the mound without giving up a run.

Dating back to his time with the Red Sox, the left-hander held a 3.38 ERA and a 43/16 K/BB ratio over 43 games. He may be an underrated name, but teams in the playoff hunt are always looking for left-handed relief pitching help. If Booser can lower his ERA even further, he’ll only be a stronger trade candidate. The White Sox would certainly be open to a trade to help bolster their future.