A Funbad 2024. A Contending 2025+ Offseason Plan

PREAMBLE

I wanted to build a team that is scrappy and watchable in 2024 while gearing for a 2025+ contention window.

ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

• Dylan Cease: $8.8M –  Tender
• Andrew Vaughn: $3.7M – Tender
• Michael Kopech: $3.6M – Tender
• Touki Toussaint: $1.7M – Tender
• Trayce Thompson: $1.7M – Non Tender
• Garrett Crochet: $900K – Tender
• Clint Frazier: $900K – Non-Tender
• Matt Foster: $740K – Non-Tender

CLUB OPTIONS

Write “pick up” or “decline” or “rework” after the option.

• Tim Anderson: $14M ($1M buyout) – Decline
• Liam Hendriks: $15M ($15M buyout, paid $1.5M annually over next 10 years) Buy Out

MUTUAL OPTIONS

Write “exercised” or “takes buyout.”

• Mike Clevinger: $12M mutual option ($4 million buyout.  Extend 2 years, $24M

OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS

Try to retain, extend qualifying offer, or let go?

• Yasmani Grandal (Made $18.25M in 2023) Let Go
• Elvis Andrus ($3M) Let Go
• Bryan Shaw ($720K) Retain. 1/$1M
• José Ureña ($720K) Let go

FREE AGENTS

C Victor Caratini (2 years, $11M). A decent option at catcher that will help any exploiting of Korey Lee/Hackenberg/Perez.

DH Michael Brantley (1 year, $9M).  A high contact, professional hitter at DH. He might want to sign with a contender which would be a major obstacle.

SP Jordan Montgomery (4 years, $92M). Coming off his best season, in which his velocity increased and he won a world series, it’s possible he re-signs with Texas or another contender. It’s possible he gets a 5 year deal.

SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (4 years, $78M). One of the best pitchers in the NPB and only 25 years old. Signing for a high AAV with less years allows him to enter free agency again at 29 years old for another big payday.

SP Jakob Junis (1 year, $6M). A fine back end of the rotation option with connections to Bannister.

Reynaldo Lopez (1 year, $6M). Bring back an old friend to shore up the bullpen.

IF/OF Kiké Hernandez (1 year, $3M). The most versatile utility man in baseball who was terrible last year.

TRADES

White Sox Trade DH Eloy Jimenez to the Seattle Mariners/SF Giants/AZ Diamondbacks

According to baseball reference, 20 teams had negative WAR at the DH position. While Jimenez has not lived up to his power potential, the potential is tantalizing for teams to unlock. Being owed $13M this year, his contract is technically underwater for the production he has provided the last couple years. A contending team in need of a DH will tank a chance on unlocking 40 homers. My main reason for trading Eloy is to help reset the locker room/culture. I was too lazy to look into lottery ticket prospects for the return. You get the point.

White Sox Trade Dylan Cease to the Orioles for SS Joey Ortiz, RF Heston Kjerstan, 2B Connor Norby, and RHP Cade Povich

Ideally, Cease is a pitcher that’s on the next good sox team in 2025+. Unfortunately, with Boras as his agent he will leave the Sox in free agency. Cease had a down 2023 but was still a top 20 fWAR pitcher in the MLB. In return, the White Sox get essentially all MLB ready or near MLB ready players. While, I wouldn’t classify any as potential superstars, Ortiz/Hjerstad/Norby/Povich all have potential to be regulars. Ortiz/Norby is also a double down on solving the 2B issue. Norby has played LF as well.

White Sox Receive Roberto Saurez (4/$36M), RHP Jairo Iniarte, RHP Adam Mazur, $5M Cash from the San Diego Padres

A good ole salary dump. The Padres need to shed payroll (they just had to take out a loan, literally) and the Sox get two RHP pitching prospects. Iniarte is borderline top 100 pitching prospect with nasty stuff but reliever risk. Adam Mazur is a high floor, low ceiling 4 or 5 starter. Both pitchers are in AA. If Saurez can return to form, he potentially can be flipped later on. Also it gives Grifol another option at the end of the pen.

SUMMARY

C Victor Caratini ($5.5M)
DH Michael Brantley ($9M)
1B Andrew Vaughn ($3.7M)
2B Connor Norby ($700K)
SS Joey Ortiz ($700k)
3B Yoan Moncada ($24M)
LF Andrew Benintendi ($16M)
CF Luis Robert ($12.5M)
RF Heston Kjerstad ($700K)

Bench: Korey Lee, Oscar Colas, Kiké Hernandez, Romy Gonzalez…Bench payroll: $5.5M

SP 1 Jordan Montgomery ($23M)
SP 2 Michael Clevinger ($12M)
SP 3 Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($19.5)
SP 4 Garrett Crochet ($900K)
SP 5 Jakob Junis ($6M)

RP Reynaldo Lopez ($6M)
RP Touki Toussaint ($1.7M)
RP Jordan Leisure ($700K)
RP Bryan Shaw ($1M)
RP Aaron Bummer ($5.5M)
RP Michael Kopech ($3.6M)
RP Roberto Saurez ($7.75M)
RP Gregory Santos ($800K)

Summary:

The total 2024 payroll comes to around $170M. This has the makings of a scrappy team in 2024 with good potential in 2025+. This line up isn’t necessarily opening day but is a likely lineup by the first month or 2. The back of the rotation is weaker for the reason that hopefully 2 of Mena, Nastrini, Eder, Bush, Povich, Iniarte, Mazur establish themselves ready for a major league role. Guys like Montgomery and Ramos will more than likely be ready to go by the 2nd half of 2024. Moncada can be DFA’d or traded to make room for them.

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