SHOCKING BRUTAL TRADE: White Sox make an interview to sign Jake McCarthy as D-back position over Dominic Fletcher.
Preference for White Sox Jake McCarthy versus Dominic Fletcher.
Cristian Mena, a 21-year-old pitching prospect, was acquired by the Diamondbacks last week in exchange for Dominic Fletcher, who was sold to the Chicago White Sox. In his latest editorial for USA Today, Bob Nightengale offers more details on how that trade was completed.
Jake McCarthy and Dominic Fletcher were the White Sox’s options, according to Nightengale. Josh Barfield, a former D-backs farm director who managed McCarthy and Fletcher’s progress in Arizona’s system, might have had some say in that decision. Currently working under recently hired general manager Chris Getz, Barfield is one of the White Sox’s assistant general managers.
Considering the players’ respective roster situations, Fletcher has one more year of control and one more option left than McCarthy. Chicago may have won because of the more roster flexibility and the former’s better defensive profile. Both players are suited to start against right-handers as Arizona’s fourth outfielders, with McCarthy having a longer career plate appearance total (736) than Fletcher (102). The deal helps to break the logjam of left-handed hitting outfielders a little bit, and after a strong season in Triple-A Reno, Jorge Barrosa is also a candidate for a major league opportunity.
To fill out their roster, Arizona is eyeing three free-agent right-handed hitters, so the outfield is still up in the air. Alek Thomas, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and Corbin Carroll are anticipated to see a lot of playing time in the outfield. In order to pair with left-handed hitter Thomas and a part-time designated hitter against lefties, they would probably select a fourth outfielder. McCarthy will therefore start Spring Training on the outside looking in for a position on the roster.
The D-backs might consider dealing for McCarthy, particularly if an injury makes a team desperate; but, if injuries impact their own roster, it might leave them a little light in the outfield. The organization’s only other major league-ready option is Barrosa; A.J. Vukovich and Caleb Roberts will need to get experience at Reno. It’s unlikely that Kristian Robinson will have many, if any, significant opportunities to play major league baseball in 2024.
