PREAMBLE
The goal of the white sox, should be to mimic the 2024 Tigers and that is what I'm going to try to do. Stack wins in April and May, build excitement, trade some players away and make the playoff anyways (if I miss maybe finish in 2nd which gives the worst owner in franchise history what he wants, a team in it until the end that sells hope). Hopefully, this is the last year the sox are picking in the top ten of the draft, as I also want to protect the sox from bad lottery luck so they don't get the 1st over all pick we can hopefully float a big bonus to Roc at a lower pick. So most of my moves are focusing on not only improving the 2026 white sox, but the farm system. I don't want to fail like good old Kenny and Rick, so building up the farm system and getting players that have value at the deadline are my keys. Also, for those that went to Pittsburgh, you know they have a player that sells 90% of their merch who they will be trading at some point. Building up my farm system to trade for this player in 27 or 28 is just an added bonus and you will see that trade in my 27 plan.
Looking back at the last two years and this division, the sox are the reason 3 teams went to the playoffs in 2024 and two last year. If not for the sox the royals are a team under 500 the last two years and Cleveland does not make the playoffs in 2025. With the state of Twins, the sox goal should be 11-2 vs the twins and 74-75 vs everyone else. Something that with the right moves and owner, would be very doable in the AL central.
COACHING STAFF
- Hitting coach: We all know it will be tthey guy from Texas
- Pitching coach: Arkansas pitching coach, if he says no the Brewers bullpen coach
Anyone but Pedro.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Mike Tauchman: Tender
- Steven Wilson: Tender
- Derek Hill: Non-tender
the first two I need for other moves, and Derek Hill is not needed.
CLUB OPTIONS
- Luis Robert Jr.: Exercise $20 million contract
- Martín Perez: Buy out for $1.5 million
Martin Perez, thanks for the memories
FREE AGENTS
No. 1. Jarrad Kelenic (1 years, league minimum). Sox want to be a home for reclamation projects, so here is the 1st one. I wanted him in 2018 at pick 4, he is still youngish and lets see if we can fix him. If we can he have a platoon side left fielder, if not he is making the minimum and it was worth the gamble.
No. 2. Kyle Finnegan (1 year 9 million). The easiest way to improve our win total is to improve our bullpen. This is a tradable veteran that gets outs and can help me stack some wins in the first two months of the season. Also buys us time with Berrora, Pallette, Gonzalez, Kelley, Coffey, and all the other young arms.
No. 3. Dustin May (1 year 10 million). Hoping our pitching infrastructure can find those missing mph on his heater. It is a risk as he is always hurt, but I'm hoping his name and upside play here. This is worth the risk and hoping for a good first half to buy our young and injured guys time and so we can flip him at deadline.
No. 4. Austin Slater (1 year 2.5 million). A veteran OF that (1) hits lefties and (2) I can trade. I will need a veteran with all my trades and he does somethings well.
TRADES
No. 1: Trade Corey Lee and Jordan Leisure to Tampa Bay for Pete Fairbanks. Pete is making 12.5 million this year and Tampa is trading him. They need a catcher and Lee may just be the best option on the trade market (sorry Jim going to hang on to our top two for 1 more year). I figure Tampa will have a lot of interest in Fairbanks so I have to include Leisure to get it done. Fairbanks racks up early saves and I flip in July.
No. 2: 12.5 million and Andrew Benintendi to Atlanta for Ethan Bagwell. This is a salary dump as had the sox gotten Benintendi for 2020, 2021 or 2022 it would have worked out better, but it did not and I cannot watch him in left or play at DH for the sox. It's time to move on, and after explaining to Jerry that 12.5 million is less than 32.5 million he finally agrees and Atlanta looking to replace their DH gets a veteran that knows how to win with some pop in his bat.
No. 3: Luis Robert and Steven Wilson to LA Dodgers for Bobby Miller and Mike Sirota. Some may ask why would the Dodgers do this, well one their OF defense is terrible in 2025. Their bullpen is worse. They paid Conforto 17 million for less than what Robert would have given them in 2025. Wilson is not closer material, but he settles the mid-leverage innings for them and has options. Robert hits 6th for them in their deep lineup with speed and his defense makes the Dodgers better. Sox get an arm that was so good for the dodgers he could not solve their bullpen issues (hoping sox can fix him) and another young outfielder.
No. 4: Tyler Schweitzer to Philles for 5 million dollars, Nick Castellanos Dante Nori and Matthew Fisher. Lets be clear here I don't want Castellanos; however I want the prospects so I'm trading for most of his money (as Philly's owner may not care and may just cut him and eat the full 20 million) but here I think Dave wants to save some cash. Since I believe Miller and Crawford are off the table, I get 5 million back with decent young outfielder and pitcher that hopefully we can develop. Best case Castellanos gets hot and I trade him to KC (who is always looking for OF help) at the deadline, worse case Montgomery forces my hand in May/June and I cut him.
No. 5: Lenyn Sosa to Tampa for their 1st comp pick and OF Adian Smith (I'll take Summerhill if they say no to Smith). Sosa lead the sox in a lot of offensive categories (take that TRL) in 2025 but lest face it, he has no position to play and he is a perfect undervalued player for Tampa Bay. Tampa is trading Diaz and Lowe to save money so we strike another trade here. The comp pick is the prize as I get a few more million to play with if we fall past the 2nd pick in the draft. Another young outfielder for the system is needed as well.
No. 6: Tyler Gilbert and Mike Tauchman to Cubs for OF Kevin Alcántara. Why would the cubs do this, well they make moves to improve on the margins. Tucker is gone and Tauchman is insurance when Cassie struggles to hit. The cubs, like the yankees seem to find guys for their pen (I'm talking about you Brad Keller--you were so good in 2024 you could not make the white sox, yet were closing games in the playoffs in 2025) and they need a lot of pensmen for 2026. Gilbert had a sneaky good year for the sox, he can open be your 1st lefty option that the cubs need. Why trade Alcantara for this, well one he is out of options and the cubs can't play him in a the majors, two his is a former over hyped Yankee prospect, three the cubs are not going to trade their tope prospects where they could include him as another piece in a trade and four he needs more time in the minors and not many teams can roll the dice on this type of player; however the sox can. Maybe he can hit, maybe not but we are going to find out. If he and Kelenic are a platoon force then great, if they both are nothing this is worth risk.
No. 7: Brandon Eisert to Padres for pitcher Michael Salina. Eisert needs to go before Will uses him to much and his arm falls off. Padres get the 1st lefty out of the pen for low level pitching prospect the sox move the the pen. No. 8: this takes place in spring training Davis Martin to Milwaukee for their 1st comp draft pick, Ethan Dorchies and Eric Bitoni. Brewers make some changes and need another starter. We don't want to part with Davis, but a comp pick, former high school pitcher and Bitoni seal the deal for me.
SUMMARY
So there is the squad. A pitching staff of Smith, Miller, May, Taylor/Burke and Hagen Smith (He is making the roster from start. I protect his innings and he wins rookie of year and gets me another draft pick in 2027) with two back end pieces in Finnigan and Fairbanks allowing my young arms to develop. Of of Kelenic, Alcantara and Nicky. Infield of Ramos (he is the best defensive option and it out of them so I give him the job), Colson, Chase and Vargas at 1st with Mead, Slater, Baldwin on the bench and my two catchers. I got younger OF options and interesting arms in the minors.
I saved the 20 million on Robert, and 10 this year and next for Andrew. I added around 45 million plus the 2.5 deferred payments and 1.5 Perez is owed plus the rest of the roster I should be around the 70-75 millions range which is under the sox machine budget limit and will make the worst owner in baseball happy.
Can this team win 85 games and be the 2025 tigers not sure but I think it gives them a good shot.
