PREAMBLE
While I wouldn’t have publicly stated that “we’re only giving one-year deals,” I agree with Chris Getz’s overall approach. Given the uncertainty surrounding the 2027 season and the fact that the White Sox aren’t yet ready to compete, there isn’t a realistic free agent who could singlehandedly change the direction of the franchise. There’s no reason to convince ourselves that this is the year to spend big. The focus should instead be on improving the defense, giving players at a make-or-break point in their Sox careers a real opportunity, and building enough depth to cover any shortcomings along the way.
COACHING STAFF
- Hitting coach: Donnie Ecker
- Pitching coach: Mike Maddux
I would've suggested Donnie Ecker at the beginning of the month. He worked with Venable in Texas, but I'm not going to pretend that was some insightful research. In Shomon we trust. Mike Maddux would've been interesting, but he quickly pivoted to the Angels. Bove has a unique resume and I'm excited to see how it goes. Daryl Boston is available for the vacant first-base coach job, if you believe in sixth chances.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Mike Tauchman: Tender
- Steven Wilson: Tender
- Derek Hill: Non-tender
It’s possible that both Tauchman and Wilson could be re-signed for slightly less, but not enough to justify letting them test free agency. Tauchman’s legs are a concern, but with a few outfield depth additions and dropping him in the lineup, that risk feels manageable. For 80–100 games of a 1–2 WAR player, it’s a worthwhile gamble. As for Wilson, I hope he won't be tasked with as many high-leverage situations. However, he certainly warrants a contract with the Sox for 2026.
CLUB OPTIONS
- Luis Robert Jr.: Exercise $20 million option
- Martín Perez: Buy out for $1.5 million
I still believe in Luis’s talent, and the center field market is dire. Getz was boxed in here, and as a fellow gambler who will continue to double down until a bet pays off, I can appreciate his persistence.
FREE AGENTS
Cedric Mullins - 1 year, $8 million with $10 million mutual option or $2 million buyout
Piggybacking off Sox Machine underscore Josh’s idea, this feels like a no-brainer if Mullins is willing to come here on basically a one-year, $10 million deal. I didn’t realize how much his stock had dropped going into the offseason. The bat has gone cold, but he still plays solid defense, and if Robert Jr. misses time, Brooks Baldwin won’t have to be the one covering center. I like Brooks a lot, but I’m not sure I could handle watching him out there 60+ times.
Dylan Carlson - 1 year, $1 million
Carlson was once one of baseball’s top prospects, but aside from a strong 2021 season where he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting, it has not come to fruition. Still, for pure bench depth, you could do a lot worse than a switch-hitter who can capably cover all three outfield positions and cover them well.
Jose Quintana - 1 year, $5.5 million
Old friend alert part one of two. Quintana has always been a model of consistency. He’s never been overpowering. But if your goal is to eat innings, it’s hard to find better value.
Martin Perez - 1 year, $5.5 million with $7 million mutual option or a $1.5 million buyout
Run it back. When healthy, Perez has been effective. Another steady veteran to complement the young starters.
Gregory Soto - 1 year, $7 million with $8 million mutual option or $1 million buyout
The Sox have a lot of lefty options, at least in terms of quantity. Booser, Eisert, Ellard, Gilbert, maybe even Ky Bush if they see the bullpen as his future. But if you want someone who can truly shut down left-handed hitters, Soto is about as good as it gets at a price the Sox can afford.
Shelby Miller – 1 year, $6 million
Once a front of the rotation starter, Miller has reinvented himself as a reliever and really found a home in the bullpen. With a near 30% strikeout rate, a solid fastball/splitter combo, and a manageable 8% walk rate, he should be a reliable strikeout arm for Venable to lean on.
Michael Kopech - 1 year, $8 million with $10 million mutual option or a $2 million buyout
Old friend alert part two of two. Admittedly, this is the riskiest move of the bunch. Based on how often he pitched last season, he may wind up receiving a million bucks per appearance. But if he can stay healthy, he’s still one of the more dominant relievers in the game. In his limited action last year, he didn’t give up a single barrel, and the fastball velocity is still elite. He really did seem to find something with the Sox right before they moved him, and it continues to show when he is on the mound.
TRADES
Trade Andrew Benintendi to the Boston Red Sox for Jordan Hicks.
This one is probably unrealistic given Boston’s current outfield situation. I’d be banking on a little nostalgia from the Red Sox here. Realistically, it’s a seemingly fair trade. A bad contract for bad contract swap. But it only really works if Boston clears out some outfielders and decides to bring Benny Biceps back as their left fielder or DH.
As for Hicks, he was bad last season. Like really bad. Since signing his four-year deal with the Giants, he’s been bounced back and forth between starting and relieving. This would definitely be a project for Bannister and Bove to see if they can help him rediscover the form that made him an elite late-inning reliever. The fastball velocity is still there, and he still gets a ton of ground balls. It will be about utilizing the arsenal he has to bring the strikeout numbers back up and get the hard hit rate down. Big if, but if it works, the Sox bullpen could be kind of nasty.
Trade Lenyn Sosa to the St. Louis Cardinals for Matt Koperniak.
The Sox outfield depth is thin, and Koperniak has been stuck in Memphis for three years now. He's been reasonably solid (.790 OPS over three seasons in AAA). At 27, he gets a change of scenery and dons a Charlotte Knights jersey. As a left-handed hitter with some pop, he should have a good time at Truist Field.
For the Cardinals, their outfield is crowded, and with Arenado seemingly on his way out and Gorman likely sliding over to third, they could use some extra infield depth. Both players are on their respective 40-man rosters and both are kind of stuck. For the Sox, this is about adding defensive versatility. Something Sosa does not provide.
SUMMARY
Lineup on 3/26 vs. Freddy Peralta:
Mullins, LF ($8M)
Vargas, 1B ($780K)
Montgomery, SS ($780K)
Robert Jr., CF ($20M)
Teel, C ($780K)
Quero, DH ($780K)
Ramos, 3B ($780K)
Tauchman, RF ($3.5M)
Meidroth, 2B ($780K)
Bench:
Lee, C ($780K)
Mead, IF ($780K)
Baldwin, IF/OF ($780K)
Carlson, OF ($1M)
Rotation:
S. Smith ($780K)
Quintana ($5.5M)
Martin ($780K)
Perez ($5.5M)
Burke ($780K)
Bullpen:
Gilbert ($900K)
Soto ($7M)
Leasure ($780K)
Taylor ($780K)
Vasil ($780K)
Hicks ($12.5M)
Miller ($6M)
Kopech ($8M)
Payroll: $89.6M
Buyouts: $1.5M
Deferred: $2.5M
Total: $93.6M
Summary:
I did go a tad over. I'll need to talk to Jerry. The plan for this team is about improving defense, giving young players flexibility, and keeping a path for growth this season and beyond. Mullins and Robert give the outfield solid defensive coverage, while Vargas and Ramos get a chance to prove themselves at the corners. Can Vargas hit for enough power to stick at first? Can Ramos hit enough at all to justify playing third?
The catching situation will continue as it did. It will give Teel and Quero plenty of at-bats, with a third catcher providing depth. I feel bad for Korey Lee since he probably won’t see much action and will most likely be looking for a job next offseason, but it’s nice to have the security. He did make a nice catch in left field so who knows!
The rotation is a solid mix of veterans and young arms, and the bullpen combines stability with some upside.
The Sox aren’t a contender yet, but the roster is structured to improve without mortgaging the future. This season is really about figuring out who belongs long-term. Then in 2027 (or 2028) the spending can commence.
