White Sox deal Adam Eaton to Nationals for Lucas Giolito, two others

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NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The White Sox completed another blockbuster deal at the Winter Meetings on Wednesday night sending Adam Eaton to the Washington Nationals.

One day after they traded Chris Sale to Boston for four minor leaguers, including two elite prospects, the White Sox traded their outstanding leadoff man for three more top prospects, including pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez and Washington’s 2016 first-rounder Dane Dunning.

In doing so, the club has completely revamped its farm system as all seven players acquired over the two days are part of MLB.com’s top-10 prospect list.

And they might not be done.

“We are very pleased with the way this has started,” general manager Rick Hahn said. “However, we realize we are far closer to the beginning than we are to the end of this process. This is going to take time. If we had our druthers, we’d have three more of these things while we’re down here. But in reality, our desire to move this thing along is not going to be what dictates the pace. What’s going to dictate the pace is the value of our players, the potential return we get and how that fits with our long-term plan.

“The Eaton deal came together because Washington was fairly aggressive, as were other suitors that sort of accelerated the timeframe. We are open and eager for that to happen again, but if it doesn’t, we’ll be patient and move when the time is right.”

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The Nationals’ top minor leaguer and MLB.com’s third-rated prospect in the game, Giolito was one of the main players included in a reported package for Sale only two days earlier. A first-round draft pick in 2012, the 22-year-old right-hander features an outstanding fastball-curveball combination.

Lopez is the No. 38 overall prospect in baseball and Dunning was selected with the 29th pick in the June draft.

Giolito is the second top-5 prospect the White Sox have added in two days along with infielder Yoan Moncada, the 2016 minor league player of the year, who came over from Boston in the Sale trade. The White Sox also acquired right-hander Michael Kopech, the 30th overall prospect, in the Sale deal.

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