PREAMBLE
This team showed in the second half that they can play .500 ball, they just need to plug some holes. I think there is some roster depth we can take advantage of to fill holes. I also think we need one big free agent acquisition for the fans.
COACHING STAFF
- Hitting coach: Too late to answer this one
- Pitching coach: Too late to answer this one
No thoughts on the coaching staff, by design.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Mike Tauchman: Tender
- Steven Wilson: Non-tender
- Derek Hill: Non-tender
I don't think Montgomery makes the team out of Spring Training, so I'm keeping Tauchman until he's ready. Even Montgomery does make this team, this provides OF depth, which we sorely need. Don't really care about Wilson or Hill.
CLUB OPTIONS
- Luis Robert Jr.: Exercise $20 million option
- Martín Perez: Buy out for $1.5 million
Robert was already picked up. I may have taken the buyout though, but that only makes sense if you are ready to move the chips forward and spend elsewhere, which the Sox obviously aren't going to do.
FREE AGENTS
Patrick Corbin (1 year, $8m). This is the veteran innings eater the Sox need.
Tatsuya Imai (5 years, $110m). The Sox team energized the fan base in 2025, so I want to add a free agent to do the same. This breaks a few of the White Sox past patterns: signing free agents from Japan/Korea, signing pitchers to long term contracts, signing anyone over $100m. He has compos to Senga, who signed 5/$75 a few years ago. Some projections having him signing $150-$200m, but we will see.
TRADES
No. 1: Trade Lenyn Sosa to the Rockies for Juan Mejia. Rockies desperately need hitters and were last in WAR at 2B last year. Mejia is a reliever that made his major league debut last year and his statcast page had a lot of red. I thought about keeping Sosa for depth, but as English Sox Colin pointed out to me, the Sox have 20 guys that can play 2B.
No. 2: Trade Leisure and Bergolla to the Cubs for Alcantara. Cubs have a ton of OFs, Alcantara is out of options and Cubs could use some bullpen help. Alcantara can play all 3 OF positions.
No. 3: Trade Quero to the Phillies for Justin Crawford. Phillies have a lot of spending to do this offseason and I'd have to imagine they were prefer to spend it on OF and the bullpen, rather than bringing back Realmuto. Crawford and Quero have similar profiles, can draw a walk, not a ton of power, add value because they play up the middle. Crawford helps the White Sox fill need in the OF. Could play CF when Robert gets injured or traded. He offers speed, some pop and really improved his walk rate last year. Hopefully that sticks.
No. 4: Trade Noah Schultz and Billy Carlson to the Dodgers for Alex Freeland and Dalton Rushing. Not sure if the Dodgers do this. I feel like they do it if Freeland and Rushing are blocked. They always like pitching depth. Schultz is a big risk due to some regression and his injury. Freeland can play all around the infield. None of Vargas/Montgomery/Meidroth are guarantees, so he can challenge or backup any of them. He walks and has pop. Rushing is your starting 1B but can also catch, giving you even more depth.
SUMMARY
I added some much needed OF depth. SP and bullpen are solid. OF defense should be much better. Added more prospect depth. Payroll is about $85m.
2B Meidroth/Freeland
SS Montgomery/Freeland
CA Teel/Rushing
3B Vargas/Freeland
DH Benintendi
CF Robert/Crawford/Alcantara
LF Crawford/Tauchman
RF Alcantara/Crawford
BN Lee
BN Baldwin
BN Freeland
BN Tauchman
SP Smith
SP Martin
SP Imai
SP Corbin
SP Burke
CL Taylor
RP Palette
RP McDougal
RP Mejia
RP Vasil
RP Gonzalez
RP Booser
RP Eisert
