South Side Sox Reacts: Parting is such sweet sorrow

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Sox fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Every once in a while, we’ve got to get a little uncomfortable in our surveys. And in this week’s case, we are imagining a world where one of the current rookies on the roster needs to be included in a trade for (presumably) veteran help at the trade deadline.

It would be too long a list to extend this beyond rookies (including, say, Kyle Teel and Colson Montgomery), so your choices are restricted to 2026 rookies making enough of an impact to have trade value.

You can make a case for each player being expendable, if you contort yourselves enough. Sam Antonacci’s primary position is middle infield, where the White Sox system is stocked deep. Braden Montgomery could be an answer to our endless right-field woes, but in the case of both he and now-left fielder Antonacci, some of the middle infield bats (hello, Caleb Bonemer) may need to trade in their mitts for bigger outfielder gloves, sewing up any holes created by a trade. Munetaka Murakami is an older rookie, and one who is a free agent in 2028, ready to command a potential nine-figure deal. Tristan Peters is found money, and “blocking” Braden in CF. And Noah Schultz is a fast-rising power left, but who who has been nicked by control and injury issues.

You’ll notice that the Reacts polls are now being run over there on the right rail of the site, making real-time results more accessible to you.

It’s a challenging choice ahead of you, but which rising Sox star do you shed to take a step forward and strike for a division title this season?