MLB trade deadline: White Sox close to acquiring second baseman Cesar Hernandez from Cleveland, per report

The White Sox have reportedly addressed their second base hole with help from a division rival

The Chicago White Sox are working to finalize a trade for Cleveland second baseman Cesar Hernandez, ESPN's Jeff Passan reports. 

Hernandez, 31, is batting .231/.307/.437 this season with 18 home runs and 17 doubles in 96 games. For his career, Hernandez owns an OPS+ of 98 across parts of nine major league seasons. He won a Gold Glove at second base for the abbreviated 2020 season. Hernandez is owed the balance of a $5 million contract for 2021, and his deal also includes a $6 million club option for 2022. 

The White Sox have been in need of an upgrade at second base ever since Nick Madrigal underwent season-ending hamstring surgery in June.

As for Cleveland, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reports that they'll receive minor league left-hander Konnor Pilkington in return. Pilkington, 23, is a former third-rounder out of Mississippi State. This season, he's pitched to a 3.48 ERA and 3.38 K/BB ratio in 14 starts for Double-A Birmingham. For his career, he owns an ERA of 4.13 across parts of three minor league seasons. Of Pilkington's 47 games pitched as a pro, 46 have been starts. 

For Cleveland, the move could herald a deeper sell-off as the Friday trade deadline approaches. Going into Thursday's slate, they're 50-49, 8 1/2 games behind the White Sox in the AL Central, and five games out of second wild card position in the AL. The SportsLine Projection System right now gives Cleveland less than a 1.0 percent chance of making the postseason. 

Meantime, that same system gives the White Sox a 99.6 percent chance of winning the AL Central title for the first time since 2008. As such, GM Rick Hahn's focus is on giving Chicago the strongest playoff roster possible. Consider the Hernandez acquisition to be a significant step toward that end.