You just don't see enough trades like this. Two teams in position to win at the highest level. Two veterans making real money swapped for each other, one-for-one, straight-up. No throw-in prospects. No value-balancing cash. Just proven talent for proven talent, on the cusp of a new season.
That's what makes Friday's unexpected deal sending star reliever Craig Kimbrel from the Chicago White Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers for All-Star outfielder AJ Pollock so fascinating. It's a deal only about two players. The money? Well, Kimbrel is slated to earn $16 million this season, while Pollock is on the books for $10 million but also has a player option for 2023 with a $5 million buyout attached. A wash.
While the cash is largely neutral here, money can't totally be ignored. The Dodgers will add a little to their 2022 luxury tax bill, but they were already entrenched in that territory, so that hardly matters. The White Sox, on the other hand, pick up even more wiggle room under the $230 million tax threshold, which could come into play if they seek to bolster the roster down the road.
Still, we can largely evaluate the trade from a strictly baseball standpoint. This trade is all about two teams going all-in on winning this season's championship, and we can examine it through that prism.
One thing we can say for sure: The White Sox and Dodgers share a spring training complex in Arizona, so at least Kimbrel and Pollock won't have to move their things too far as they get ready for the season.
