PREAMBLE
The Sox prepare for the 2026/27 Strike and stay pat while adding 1 year deals to fill out the Roster. This is a realistic view of what we will see to continue to develop and learn how to win.
COACHING STAFF
- Hitting coach: Derek Shomon
- Pitching coach: Zach Bove
(This plan came in after the hires were made.)
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Mike Tauchman: Tender
- Steven Wilson: Tender
- Derek Hill: Non-tender
Tauchman is a Cheap veteran that helped the young kids learn how to be pros, like a lesser version of Blackhawks Nick Foligno. Steven Wilson stays as a cheap option in the bullpen. Hill is a unneeded depth piece that can be replaced with a Spring Training invitee or minor leaguer.
CLUB OPTIONS
- Luis Robert Jr.: Exercise $20 million option
- Martín Perez: Buy out for $1.5 million
This has already happened, but it was always going to happen like this as Robert is worth the risk and money, and you had to pay someone might as well be him. Perez played a role and I could see come back, but on a lesser deal as I don't think his value is above 8 million.
FREE AGENTS
No. 1 Josh Bell (1 Year, $11.5 million with a mutual option for 2nd year at the same money)
No. 2 Patrick Corbin (1 Year, $8.25 million team option for a 2nd year at $10 million)
No. 3 Liam Hendricks (1 Year, $2 Million) For the Fun of it
TRADES
No Trades will be made of any significance.
SUMMARY
I think that this is a glimpse into how the Sox might actually operate this offseason. They are not in a position roster wise and with the dark cloud of the Lock Out looming to peruse any true multi year deals. Bell would give us a decent lefty bat and a guy that knows how to be a pro (like Mikey T.), a guy like Corbin fills the Perez role, but with a slightly higher upside to be traded mid season, and Hendriks is the exact kind of player that will fill out the rest of this roster heading into spring low risk contracts or invitees.
I believe that the biggest question mark this season is how fast does a Braden Montgomery, Noah Schultz, Hagen Smith, etc . . . progress through the ranks. Can they be options come mid to late summer? We are still in rebuild mode and will be competing this year to not finish last in the division, which is doable, but any notion or adding a big contract here or there to compete for the division after another 100 loss year is just not realistic. Especially when Jerry Reinsdorf's World Series is coming up, CBA negotiations. Once the dust settles on whatever happens with the lock-out, that is going to happen, then I believe the Sox will be positioned to really start filling out this roster to start competing.
