ChiZou’s 2021 Offseason Plan

PREAMBLE

The White Sox showed us that the bats are ready.  Sure, they'll go through a slump or two and could desperately learn how to walk more, but they'll compete with anybody.  To that end, bolstering the lineup with a proven bat and trading for some solid MLB ready outfield depth would go a long way to solidifying a strong lineup for years to come.  The White Sox saw in the Wild Card round that having dependable starting pitching is not a luxury but a necessity. There may be a great deal of consternation about signing too many starters and not having a slot for the odd man out of Dunning, Cease, and Kopech, but that's a risk the White Sox must be willing to take.  You can never have too much of a good thing.

ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

• Nomar Mazara: $5.9M: Non-Tender
• Carlos Rodón: $4.5: Non-Tender
• Reynaldo López: $2.2M: Non-Tender
• Evan Marshall: $1.9M:  Tender
• Adam Engel: $1.4M: Tender
• Jace Fry: $1M: Tender
• Yolmer Sánchez: Uncertain:  Non-Tender unless he is willing to work out a minor league deal.
• Lucas Giolito: $5.3M
  • NEW DEAL: 6 years, $88 million
    • 2021: $6 million
    • 2022: $10 million
    • 2023: $14 million
    • 2024: $18 million
    • 2025: $20 million
    • 2026: $20 million (Club Option)

CLUB OPTIONS

• Edwin Encarnación: $12M: Decline - Vaughn is coming
• Gio González: $7M ($500K buyout): Decline - Buy Out
• Leury García: $3.5M ($250K buyout): Pick Up

OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS

• Alex Colomé (Made $10,532,500 in 2020): Let Go
• James McCann (Made $5.4M in 2020): Let Go
• Jarrod Dyson (Made $2M in 2020): Let Go

COACHING STAFF

The likelihood of the Sox signing both of the Cora's is likely very slim, but I thought it was a fun idea that isn't impossible.  Both Cora's have been well liked by their teams both as players and as managers, and who could forget Alex waving in all those postseason runs for the Sox in '05.

• Manager: Joey Cora (with Alex Cora as his bench coach)
• Pitching coach: Matt Zaleski

FREE AGENTS

No. 1: Marcus Stroman: 6Y/115M (19.2M AAV)

No. 2: Taijuan Walker: 4Y/30M (7.5M AAV)

No. 3: Marcell Ozuna: 4Y/80M (20M AAV)

No. 4: Jason Castro: 1Y/7M

TRADES

Trade Gavin Sheets and Tyler Johnson to Washington for Andrew Stevenson.

Gavin Sheets projects to be blocked by Abreu and Vaughn for the time being.  He may be able to seize an opportunity more quickly with an aging Zimmerman and Matt Adams for his competition.  The Sox include RHP Tyler Johnson to pry Andrew Stevenson away from the Nationals who have a glut of outfield talent.

Stevenson has looked good offensively and slightly above league average in limited experience.  Assuming The Sox sign Ozuna, Stevenson gives an additionally solid bat/glove with upside and has the benefit of being a lefty.  He could spell Eloy or Marcell and provide more options for less talented defenders to DH.

SUMMARY

26-Man Roster at $146M

STARTING LINEUP 

Tim Anderson - SS

Yoan Moncada - 3B

Marcell Ozuna - RF

Jose Abreu - 1B

Eloy Jiminez - LF

Yasmani Grandal - C

Luis Robert - CF

Andrew Vaugh - DH

Nick Madrigal - 2B

BENCH

Leury Garcia - Util

Jason Castro - C

Andrew Stevenson - OF

Adam Engel - OF

Starting Rotation

Lucas Giolito

Dallas Keuchel

Marcus Stroman

Taijuan Walker

Dane Dunning - Slotting Dunning here for now as he close the year on a slightly better trajectory than Cease

BULLPEN

Michael Kopech

Dylan Cease

Jace Fry

Evan Marshall

Garrett Crochet

Jimmy Cordero

Cody Heuer

Aaron Bummer

Admittedly the bench may need more utility depth, in which case I could see the sox swapping a Yolmer Sanchez-type from Charlotte for Cease or Kopech to get starters work in AAA.

As stated the bats are solid but more firepower never hurt anyone, and the Sox lack a reliable right field option.  Adding Ozuna allows for some versatility between OF and DH positions as well.

Regardless, the overall sentiment of this plan hinges on finding starting pitchers you can trust every 5th day.  Unfortunately there was not enough time in 2020 to figure out if that can or will be any of Kopech, Cease, or Dunning.  Don't leave that to chance in a very competitive division.

Go out there and win the Whole. F***in'. Thing.