PREAMBLE
The young offensive core gives the organization a reason to improve the roster, and clearly the pitching is at the forefront. They have young arms that should reasonable see increased roles, and there are certainly some holes to fill offensively, but the priority for dollars should be placed on improving the pitching staff.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Miguel Vargas: Tender
- Brenton Doyle: Tender
- Joey Bart: Non-tender
- Huascar Brazobán: Tender
- Jordan Leasure: Non-tender
- Chris Murphy: Non-tender
Bart did not work. Cut the losses. Leasure did not work and has yet to show signs that it will improve into a role on a team that is now trying to compete. Murphy had moments, could see them bringing him back on a minor league deal as depth.
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- Randal Grichuk
- Sean Newcomb
Newcomb 1 yr $6 Million. He proved to be a very valuable piece in a bullpen that did not have a lot of experience of proven results in meaningful innings. He provides some consistency in the bullpen that will experience some heavy turnover from the previous year. Grichuk 1 yr $3 million. Grichuk was extrememly valuable on this young team, and with how difficult it has been to find consistent Right Handed Hitting across the league, he is a necessary commodity.
FREE AGENTS
No 1. Casey Mize (3 yr $50 million)- This addresses the obvious need in the rotation. I could see this number being closer to 55/60 million, but after a rough stretch in San Diego there may be some money taken off the table. He is a potential front end rotation piece, but realistically for this price if you get SP2-3 production it becomes a huge piece to what was an underwhelming rotation. Slot him in alongside Burke, Haagen Smith, and potentially Grant Taylor (See Further), the rotation becomes very interesting with optimism to being good. It also allows you some versatility with Castillo, Martin, Schultz, and Kay, all who will play roles and dont necessarily need to be in the rotation.
No 2. David Bednar (3 yr $40 Million)- With Grant Taylor being moved to the rotation, the back end has to be strengthened. Bednar has been one of the best in the sport for years now, and he adds instant credibility, experience, and production to a bullpen that needs some veteran presence. If the Sox can steal him away from New York, this becomes a super important add and gives you some versatility with Taylor, who should and needs to be in the rotation in 2027.
No 3. Zac Gallen (1 yr $13 million)- Obviously things have not gone well for Gallen the last few years, as he was once a top arm in the sport and will now be looking for a 1 yr prove it deal somewhere. With the depth issues on this White Sox pitching staff, and some money to spend, this makes a ton of sense. He can slot into being a back end guy with the upside of being the best pitcher in the rotation. He is the reason I would not be bringing back Erick Fedde, as I am much more willing to throw the dart at getting an All-Star caliber arm for cheap than a stock rotation filler. The White Sox have already shown the willingness to bring guys in that need to prove it as wel, with the likes of Kay, Fedde, and now Castillo. I think this move significantly raises the ceiling of what the pitching can be, and there is nothing long term that ties you to this. If he cannot find what made him an elite arm, you cut the losses and move on. If he does, you may have one of the top rotations in the American League.
TRADES
No 1. Trade Andrew Benintendi, William Bergolla, and Christian Oppor to the Boston Red Sox for Jarren Duran. Benintendi is a sore thumb on the current iteration of this roster. Duran's time ins Boston is just about up. The red sox can reunite with an old friend who gives them some more familiarity and can fill a big spot for them, while the White Sox can take the chance on a player who needs a change of scenery and can up the floor and ceiling of the lineup. This move also lets Antonacci become exactly what he is supposed to be, which is an everyday utility guy who can plug and play anywhere on the diamond and is not an everday left fielder.
No 2. Trade Bryan Hudson to the St Louis Cardinals for LHP Zack Thompson and RHP Rafeli Moronta. Hudson certainly served a role on the club this year, but his role should be replaced by the like of Anthony Kay and Noah Schultz with those players moving into more prominent bullpen roles. Getting back a buy low flier on Thompson who has major league innings but has been injury riddled for a few years, and a 17 year old who struck out 35 in 25IP in his first year in professional ball.
SUMMARY
The payroll is higher than the budget and will come in at roughly $145 million, which still does not put the White Sox in the high spender category, and would still keep them in the bottom third of the sport in total spending. The floor has been raised with some ceiling pieces that could catapult the White Sox into a serious contender by July, and still having a full prospect package available if the team is in World Series contention mode.
The other big factor here is Bonemer. If the White Sox feel bonemer is ready, it potentially eliminates the need to bring back Grichuk and opens up the Bench spot for Acuña. If Bonemer is not ready yet, the Grichuk button should be pressed to make sure there is some right handed thump in that lineup.
SP1- Burke
SP2- Mize
SP3- Taylor
SP4- Smith
SP5- Gallen
CP- Bednar
SU- Hicks
SU- Newcomb
RP- Kay
RP- Schultz
RP- Brazoban
RP- Castillo
RP- Martin
- Antonacci UTIL/DH
- Teel C
- Murakami 1B
- Vargas 3B
- Montgomery RF
- Duran LF
- Meidroth 2B
- Montgomery SS
- Peters/Doyle CF
Grichuk BE
Peters/Doyle BE
Quero BE
Bonemer/Acuña BE
