3:00 p.m. EST update: A source told the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro that the deal is done. The Diamondbacks will get Trumbo and two players to be named, and they give outfielder Adam Eaton to the White Sox and left-hander Tyler Skaggs to the Angels. Left-hander Hector Santiago will go from Chicago to Anaheim.
Trumbo is expected to play left field for the Diamondbacks and could bat fourth or fifth behind Paul Goldschmidt. A.J. Pollock will serve as Arizona’s primary center fielder, with Gerardo Parra facing righties and Cody Ross starting against lefties in right field.
Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register says that right-hander A.J. Schagel is one of the PTBNs going to Arizona. He had a 7.05 ERA in Triple-A last year and wasn’t protected on the Angels’ 40-man for the Rule 5 draft.
2:25 p.m. EST update: FOXSports.com’s Jon Morosi says the three-team trade is close to being finalized.
1:25 p.m. EST update: MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez hears that the three-team deal is “getting pretty close” and that Howie Kendrick is not involved.
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ESPN.com’s Keith Law hears the White Sox are now part of the trade talks designed to send Mark Trumbo to Arizona, with the White Sox getting outfielder Adam Eaton and sending Hector Santiago to Anaheim.
Diamondbacks prospect Tyler Skaggs is also expected to go to the Angels in the trade.
Santiago, who went 4-9 with a 3.56 ERA in 23 starts and 11 relief appearances for the White Sox last season, would jump right into the Angels rotation while carrying only a minimum salary. With Trumbo’s approx. $5 million salary off the books, the Angels would then have the ability to pursue a more expensive free agent to join Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson and Garrett Richards. Skaggs would also be a rotation possibility, but probably not until after another month or two in Triple-A.
Eaton’s addition in Chicago would free up Alejandro De Aza for a trade, and he’d be pretty attractive in a market that just saw Nate McLouth and Rajai Davis land two-year deals in the $10 million range. De Aza hit .264/.323/.405 with 17 homers and 20 steals in 607 at-bats for the White Sox last season. He’s due about $4.5 million in arbitration and will be eligible for free agency for the first time after 2015. Eaton would probably be a downgrade in the short term, but he may offer better defense in center and he’s making the minimum for a couple of more years.
It’s the Diamondbacks who would likely lose out in the deal if they sent both Skaggs and Eaton packing for Trumbo, even if they wouldn’t realize it while he’s hitting 35 homers next season. He just probably wouldn’t contribute much of anything besides the homers to their cause.
Update: MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert is hearing that the Diamondbacks will also receive a pair of prospects if the deal is completed, which could even things up some.
Update 2: Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times says that while the White Sox have talked to the Angels about catcher Hank Conger this winter, he’s not believed to be in the current deal.
