Chicago White Sox trade 3 more pitchers: Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly and Kendall Graveman: ‘Makes sense to improve our future at the cost of the current club’

The trades kept coming Friday for the Chicago White Sox.

They were involved in a five-player deal with the Dodgers, sending starter Lance Lynn and reliever Joe Kelly to Los Angeles for minor-league right-handed pitchers Nick Nastrini and Jordan Leasure and veteran outfielder Trayce Thompson.

The Sox also dealt reliever Kendall Graveman to the Houston Astros for minor-league catcher Korey Lee.

“A continuation of what we started (Wednesday) in terms of taking players that quite frankly we never envisioned needing to move on from when we acquired them,” general manager Rick Hahn said Friday. “But given the type of season we’ve had, it makes sense to improve our future at the cost of the current ‘23 club.

“We have mixed feelings and some disappointment involved in trading guys like Lance and Kendall and Joe. However a great deal of excitement certainly at our end of the building about the prospects we received in exchange.”

The Sox have traded five pitchers in three days as part of a sell-off for a team that entered Friday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians at 22 games under .500. Friday’s moves come after the Sox sent starter Lucas Giolito and reliever Reynaldo López to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.

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“As players, we didn’t do our job here and make a run as we should have,” Lynn said. “But they’re getting pieces to do what they need to do to build around the young talent that’s still here. There’s still a lot of talent in that locker room.”

Lynn has one of the highest ERAs in baseball among qualified pitchers this season at 6.47. But he’s also among the major-league leaders in strikeouts (144) and innings (119 2/3).

The Sox acquired Lynn in a trade in December 2020. He played a major role in the Sox winning their first division title since 2008, going 11-6 in 2021 with a 2.69 ERA. He fell five innings short of leading the American League in ERA.

Lynn made the AL All-Star team and placed third in the AL Cy Young Award voting in 2021. A knee injury impacted last season. This season has been filled with inconsistencies, including surrendering 28 home runs.

“There’s still stuff that I’m doing well,” Lynn said. “There’s some things I need to clean up so hopefully I’m able to do that and help the team down the stretch here.

“But I still have the stuff to get outs in the big leagues so I’m going to go and make sure I do everything I can to be successful here down the stretch.”

Kelly has a 4.97 ERA, one save, 11 holds and 41 strikeouts in 31 appearances this season.

He won a World Series title with the Dodgers in 2020.

“I think my personality type is, love the adrenaline, love the big moments so I’m super stoked to go back,” Kelly said.

Lynn and Kelly will provide the Dodgers with plenty of big-game postseason experience: Lynn has pitched in 27 postseason games and Kelly 40.

The Sox got three players in return, including the Dodgers No. 9 prospect in Nastrini. The 23-year-old is 5-3 with a 4.03 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 17 starts this season with Double-A Tulsa in the Texas League.

Leasure, 24, is 2-2 with a 3.09 ERA, 56 strikeouts and nine saves in 29 relief appearances with Tulsa.

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“Nastrini, we view him as having a very solid four-pitch mix, command of all four with significant upside,” Hahn said. “Leasure is another power arm. Obviously has some gaudy strikeout numbers in Double A.”

Thompson, 32, has been on the injured list since June 4 with a strained left oblique. He is slashing .155/.310/.366 with five home runs and 14 RBIs in 36 games this season. He played for the Sox in 2015 and 2018.

“Between the lines, he provides us with some versatility, the ability to play all three outfield positions,” Hahn said. “Complement the left-handed hitters we have in the corners and back up Luis (Robert Jr.) in center field. As importantly, Trayce is a class individual. He’s a great teammate.”

Like Kelly, Graveman is going back to a familiar spot having spent a portion of 2021 with the Astros.

“Going back to Houston, I know a lot of people there, the relationships have been built,” Graveman said. “So that’s exciting.

“I played in the World Series for that team. It’s an organization that also has believed in me in the past and trusted me with taking the ball and pitching for that team. I’m thankful for them once again believing in me on that front too.”

Graveman has spent the bulk of this season as the top ninth-inning option. He is 3-4 with a 3.48 ERA, eight saves and 42 strikeouts in 45 games.

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In exchange, the Sox get the No. 5 prospect in the Astros organization in Lee.

The 25-year-old is slashing .283/.328/.406 with 18 doubles, five home runs, 32 RBIs, 37 runs and 12 stolen bases in 68 games this season with Triple-A Sugar Land in the Pacific Coast League.

“Very strong catch-and-throw type,” Hahn said. “Good leader on the field, high energy.”

It’s been an active week for the Sox. Hahn said it was impossible to prognosticate whether any more moves are on the way before Tuesday’s trade deadline.

“We still have players of interest of other clubs, and we’re still having talks,” he said. “There’s a few days left until the deadline. So we’re going to continue talking, and if there’s something that makes sense, we’ll pull the trigger.”