PREAMBLE
The Sox finally turned into a semi-watchable team over the last couple months of 2025. The goal for 2026 should be getting to .500 and positioning themselves for the playoffs in 2027. Given their young talent, a more ambitious team would open their wallet now, but this is the Sox we're talking about so that isn't likely to happen. But I'd like to see Getz sign at least one established free agent and use some of our younger players in creative trades. This is a key offseason for Getz and is not the time to be conservative.
COACHING STAFF
- Hitting coach: Whoever Venable wants
- Pitching coach: Whoever Bannister wants
I suspect these things matter a lot less than we think they do, so Venable/Bannister should just bring in who they want.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Mike Tauchman: Tender
- Steven Wilson: Tender
- Derek Hill: Non-tender
Solid veterans at reasonable prices.
CLUB OPTIONS
- Luis Robert Jr.: Exercise $20 million contract
- Martín Perez: Buy out for $1.5 million
I still believe in LRJ. I'd be open to bringing back Perez at a much lower number.
FREE AGENTS
1) 1B Ryan O'Hearn - 2 years / $28 million. He's been productive for Baltimore and San Diego over the last few years, and he certainly knows the AL Central.
TRADES
1) Trade P Hagen Smith, C Edgar Quero, and OF George Wolkow to Washington for P MacKenzie Gore and P Jake Bennett.
Gore is under control through 2027 at a reasonable price and has shown #1 starter potential, though not consistently. Getting him in the Bannister lab would give the Sox an ace and jumpstart the rebuild. Bennett is Washington's #10 prospect, a lefty who did well in AA last year coming off TJ surgery The trade costs the Sox two top prospects, but they don't need Quero and there's enough risk with Smith after underperforming this season that he is worth dealing for a proven commodity. To make this worthwhile the Sox will need to sign Gore to an extension but "the money will be spent"...right?
2) Trade 2B Lenyn Sosa, 3B Bryan Ramos, and P Ky Bush to Sacramento for P Luis Severino, OF JJ Bleday and OF Henry Bolte.
Severino wants out of Sacramento and the A's will be more than happy to get rid of his salary. Bleday is a former #4 overall pick who needs a change of scenery and is a non-tender candidate this offseason. Bolte is the A's #5 prospect, an outfielder with plus speed and a good hit tool who is blocked there. The A's have a good lineup but still have infield needs, so they get a starter and a couple of prospects from us.
SUMMARY
Here's the nearly complete lineup:
C - Teel
1B - O'Hearn
2B - Meidroth
SS - Montgomery
3B - Vargas
LF - Bleday
CF - Robert
RF - Tauchman
DH - Benintendi
SP - Gore, Severino, Smith, Martin, Burke
RP - Taylor, Vasil, Leasure, Wilson, Alexander, Gomez, + a couple of TJ returnees (Thorpe, Berroa)
Bench - Baldwin, Bolte, Lee, + a backup infielder
The payroll comes in slightly above the $90M target - I have it at $94M and still need a bench player. But this roster is well positioned to be a 80ish win team in 2026 and has all its key pieces in place for 2027.
