The acquired veteran right-hander and pitching prospect in a trade with the on Sunday, continuing to reallocate the money they saved in the . trade, sources told ESPN.
While Hicks is the most notable name in the deal — the Red Sox received Class A right-hander — Chicago values Sandlin more and was willing to take on a majority of Hicks’ salary to facilitate the trade, sources said.
Hicks, 29, was traded for the second time in the past year after heading to Boston from in the blockbuster. He is owed $25 million on the last two seasons of a four-year, $44 million deal, and Chicago agreed to pay $17 million of it because of the inclusion of Sandlin.
The White Sox in the trade that sent Robert to the in January and have deployed it with the signing of closer to a two-year, $20 million contract, outfielder to a one-year, $6 million deal and now the acquisition of Hicks, who has been most effective as a relief pitcher but also can start.
The Red Sox had sought to trade from their deep well of starting pitching, and with no clear path for the 24-year-old Sandlin, he allowed them to dump all but $8 million owed Hicks. Sandlin split time between Double-A and Triple-A in 2025, posting a 4.50 ERA and striking out 107 in 106 innings. With a fastball that can touch 100 mph as well as a sweeper and splitter, Sandlin’s arsenal could give him a shot at a rotation spot with Chicago sometime this season as the White Sox attempt to improve even more after their record 121-loss season in 2024.
Hicks is simply hoping for a return to form. Since signing the long-term deal with San Francisco before the 2024 season, he has thrown 177 innings with a 5.19 ERA, with opponents hitting .277/.364/.425 against him. While Hicks’ home run rate remains strong thanks to a heavy, hard sinker, it hasn’t mitigated good contact against him.
Ziehl, 22, was drafted originally by the in 2021 — when Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow was the Cubs’ director of pitching — but instead went to the University of Miami. The selected him in the fourth round in 2024 and sent him to the White Sox at the trade deadline last year. In his first professional season, Ziehl threw 107 innings over 22 appearances with a 4.12 ERA and a 4.74-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
