Lucas Giolito has pitched well for the Chicago White Sox, but his team has struggled throughout the year.

It has been a miserable year for the White Sox, as they find themselves in fourth place in the American League Central, 6 games behind the Minnesota Twins. They have a 32-44 record as the team approaches midseason, and they would be buried in nearly any other division.  However, in the American League Central, they can still see the 38-38 Twins and believe they are still in contention.

But if the White Sox actually think they still have a chance, they are fooling themselves. They have a talented roster, but they have failed to play consistent team baseball at any point this season. A lack of defense, hustle and clutch hitting has buried them behind every divisional rival with the exception of the Kansas City Royals.

Vice president/general manager Rick Hahn may not want to admit it for the record, but the White Sox should be sellers prior to the August 1 trade deadline.  Giolito could be one of the most attractive asset the South Siders have and it's clear that a number of teams would be interested in his services.

Giolito has a 5-4 record with a 3.54 earned run average along with 89 strikeouts in 86.1 inning. He has allowed 13 home runs to this point in the season, and that's a concern, but Giolito has a solid fastball and an excellent slider that he uses as his out pitch.

Here's a look at three possible trade partners for the right-handed pitcher.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers have a huge need for pitching help this season. They need both starters and relievers, and Giolito could clearly fill the team's need for a starter. The Dodgers have had multiple injuries and they have also had a difficult time finding consistency among their starters.

The Dodgers have had to use multiple rookies and additional call-ups to this point in the season.

Giolito will be a free agent at the end of the season, and it seems likely that he will move on from the White Sox when he gets that opportunity.

He is pitching well, and a chance to pitch for a team like the Dodgers is an attractive possibility. Los Angeles should be in the playoffs and have a chance to compete deep into the postseason. The Dodgers could insert him into their starting rotation and he would be an upgrade for them.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are one of the most exciting and explosive teams in the National League. After a slow start to the season, the Phillies are starting to rise in the standings with a 38-36 record.

If that sounds familiar, that's because the Phillies followed a similar pattern last year. They are the defending National League champions, and while they have a long way to go to get past Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins, it's not inconceivable that they could have another magical run this season.

But it's clear the Phillies could use an upgrade with their pitching staff. They have a 4.26 team ERA, ranking 17th in the big leagues, and that's probably the team's biggest deficiency to this point.

If Giolito can maintain the form he has had to this point in the season, he will be a very viable trade candidate by the time the trade deadline comes.

If the Phillies are interested in trading for him, they might want to accelerate the process and acquire him well before the deadline. If they were able to do that, it would give the Phillies a much better chance of putting together a more successful charge in the final months of the season.

Houston Astros

The defending World Series champions are not in their accustomed spot atop the American League West. They have been among the most dominating teams in the Major Leagues, and have participated in the postseason in each of the last 6 seasons.

The Astros have won the World Series twice in that span, and have made one other appearance in the Fall Classic.

At this point, the Astros are chasing the Texas Rangers and are just 1/2 game ahead of the Los Angeles Angels. A division title looks like a long shot and a playoff spot is anything but guaranteed.

Unlike the other two trade candidates mentioned, the Astros have been getting excellent pitching. They have a 3.51 team ERA, and that ranks first in the Major League.

However, veteran manager Dusty Baker knows that no team can ever have enough pitching, and getting a reliable starter like Lucas Giolito would be an excellent addition.