Why Trading AJ Pollock Would Make Sense For The White Sox

July might be AJ Pollock's last month in a White Sox uniform. Shipping him out of town would be a move that makes sense for both parties involved. Adding AJ Pollock was one of Rick Hahn's most significant offseason acquisitions. It allowed him to shed Craig Kimbrel and his $16 million option off the books. Pollock was arguably one of the Dodger's best hitters last season. He hit .297 with 21 home runs and a .891 4 OPS. His expected batting average ranked in the MLB's 87th percentile, while his hard-hit percentage ranked 82nd percentile. Pollock has been a good hitter ever since entering the big leagues. He was named an All-Star in 2015 and boasted a career average of .279 in eleven seasons. Pollock also gave the White Sox an upgrade defensively in the outfield. In 2021 he led all National League left fielders in range factor and took home a Gold Glover Award in 2015. The primary concern with Pollock was his injury history. In Los Angeles, he carried the nickname of "bird bones." He missed 45 games in 2021, 80 in 2019, 49 in 2018, 50 in 2017, and 150 in 2016. Surprisingly this season, injuries have not been an issue. He missed some time with a strained right hamstring in April but has been relatively healthy since then. Objectively speaking, it was a good addition for the White Sox. Things have not gone as planned. While Pollock has had brief hot stretches at the plate, he is on track for one of his worst seasons offensively in his career. For whatever reason, Pollock hasn't seemed to get comfortable in a White Sox uniform. His walk rate is in the bottom eight percent of the league. His OPS+ is 82, a significant drop from his 114 career average. When Pollock makes contact, he isn't hitting the ball hard. His hard-hit percentage is in the 36th percentile of MLB hitters, while his average exit velocity is in the 35th percentile. His pop-up rate is 10.7 percent. A pop-up is almost as useless as a strikeout because infield pop-ups in the MLB seldom fall. You can't move a runner over with an infield pop-up. When you pair that with his 21 percent strikeout rate, 31 percent of his at-bats have been wasted. Even his defense has not been as advertised. Pollock ranks in the bottom seven percentile in outfield jump and is in the bottom four percent of outs above average. Pollock only has one year remaining on his contract, with a player option worth $10 million. Even with his struggles, exercising that option would not make much sense. If he declines it, the White Sox still must pay a $5 million buy-out. Pollock, in theory, could sign a cheaper deal worth $6 to $7 million and still make more money. Plus, he could play where he wanted to. Holding onto Pollock makes little sense for the White Sox, given his current production. They would be better off moving him elsewhere and flipping him for some prospects or bullpen help. Eloy Jimenez is set to return in the coming weeks. Adam Engel returned from the IL on July 4th. The White Sox outfield has suddenly become a lot more crowded. Mind you, Andrew Vaughn and Gavin Sheets are below-average defenders. But because of the White Sox's lack of left-handed bats and Vaugh's production at the plate, the White Sox feel the reward outweighs the risk. Having first baseman play the corner outfield isn't a recipe for success, but that's how the White Sox operate. Trading Pollock would make sense for the White Sox. Plenty of teams are in the market for outfielders. Pollock would be cheap and has a track record of success. Perhaps a change of scenery turns his season around. Flipping him for someone makes sense for the White Sox.