Youkilis is hitting .225 in 41 games this season. He will be an immediate upgrade at third base for Chicago, who currently has Orlando Hudson manning the hot corner. Hudson has hit .167 in 27 games for the White Sox.
Youkilis made his final appearance as a Red Sox today, going 2-4 with one RBI. He was removed from the game in the bottom of the 7th inning and received a nice standing ovation from the Red Sox fans at Fenway.
Zack Stewart has appeared in 18 games for the White Sox this year, posting a 6.00 ERA. He is 25 years old and was acquired by Chicago in the Edwin Jackson trade with the Blue Jays last year.
Brent Lillibridge is what some teams call a "super utility" player. This season he has had playing time at designated hitter, third base, first base, left field and center field. He is hitting .175 in 48 games this year.
Analysis: Well, we all knew this day would come. It is sad to see Youkilis leave Boston but hopefully he gets his career back on track with Chicago. It was very nice to see Youkilis get a friendly, standing ovation as he left today's game early. The White Sox have been actively searching for a third baseman ever since Brett Morel landed on the disabled list more than a month ago. As for the other players involved in the trade, I believe the Red Sox could have done a little better. Stewart is a young pitcher who has some upside. He should get a nice amount of playing time for Boston and may even slide into the rotation. Lillibridge offers versatility, but isn't much of a threat at the plate. Overall, it is sort of a shame with the way Boston has treated Youkilis, their franchise player, lately, but hopefully he regains his All-Star form in the South Side of Chicago this summer.
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