PREAMBLE
Be Bold! I am trying to help Brooks Boyer with the new slogan for 2027. I am sure there are plenty of tickets to be sold with the name recognition I am bringing in, so maybe the team does not need the marketing ploy. But at what cost? Would Jerry open the purse strings just a little bit more to make this happen? I think he could be convinced as we trade the future for the past(?) and hope it does not bite us in the end in this years OPP.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Miguel Vargas: Tender
- Brenton Doyle: Tender
- Joey Bart: Tender
- Huascar Brazobán: Tender
- Jordan Leasure: Non-tender
- Chris Murphy: Non-tender
• Miguel Vargas: $5.4M Tender
As noted on the show, chalkiest chalk move in 2027
• Huascar Brazoban: $1.6M Tender
He seems to put up good first half numbers. If there is only one half of a season next year, then Brazoban may shine brightest.
• Brenton Doyle: $3.6M Tender
Bringing him back until the end of this OPP.
• Joey Bart: $2.9M Tender
Free agents at catcher is a limited crop with most valued well above the $3 million Bart is targeted for. We still need a veteran to pair with Teel and protect against the attrition at the position. I will toss the dice on Bart.
• Chris Murphy: $950k Nontender.
I think we can find a replacement somewhere in the system.
• Jordan Leasure: $950K Nontender
Hopefully he can be brought back on a minor league deal and he can hang out in Arizona for the year as he rehabs.
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- Erick Fedde
- Sean Newcomb
• Sean Newcomb 2 Year - $15.75 mil ($7 year one, $8.75 year 2)
I think he proved his worth. Not sure anybone could have done more. There is some hesitancy with his age and the reliability of relivers year over year. There will be competition for his services, hence the second year.
• Erick Fedde 1 Year - $3 mil with performance incentives than can bring total to $5 mil.
Do performance incentives count as cheating for the budget? Fedde just has magic in a Sox uniform. Let’s run it back.
• Trevor Richards Let go
If needed, I am sure he or someone like him will be available in May.
• Randal Grichuk Let go.
Venable’s deployment of the two-headed DH is partially what one him his first honor from Sporting News. But let’s see if we can find a more permeant lineup fixture.
• Tommy Pham Let go.
Hopefully he does not have to sue Manfred for a job. I am still salty about that non-homer in Cleveland. I know he is. Ah, the memories we will share. as we go on, we remember, all the times we, had together
• Jake Rogers Let go.
Taking Bart over Rogers. No need for a 3rd string back up catcher not names Quero.
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: Jake Bauers (3 years, $50 million). The new (and true) primary DH that spells Mune at 1st. He also provides insurance against Mune potentially leaving the team after next year.
No. 2: Joc Pederson (1 years, $9.75 million). Power bat off the bench that can still play some corner outfield in a pinch. I waffled on bringing back Grichuk but went with Joc for the lefty bat.
TRADES
Here is my big move.
Not being a paying member of Baseball Trade Values, I tried Rosternomics this year. I did not particularly like the site, but I have a day job and do not know how to accurately judge trade proposals by myself, so I use the resources at my disposal.
No. 1: White Sox trade Colson Montgomery and Brenton Doyle to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for Mike Trout, Reid Detmers, and $15mil.
This thought struck me and could not shake it. Though, I admit, trading Colson makes fielding a full team that Venable can mix and match like he did in 2026 very difficult and in the end, I wish I still had him on my team. But I wanted to get other opinions on this move, so I am sticking to my crazy idea. Would Trout finally accept a trade? Angels new FO puts their mark on the franchise moving on from the aging and sometimes injured Trout and restacking their lineup around Colson, who would move to 3rd Base for the Halos. White Sox would take on the final three years of Trout and this is partially bought with $15 mil in 2027 and one year of Reid Detmers. Rosternomics had the Angels as the winer of this trade (by a wide margin) for what that is worth.
No. 2: White Sox receive Herik Hernandez and the Braves get Andrew Benintendi, William Bergolla and $4.5 mil in 2027.
The Braves desperately need help at shortstop and their current primary DH is Profar who has not played in 1.5 years due to PED suspensions. He is also older than Beni. Braves need a surer thing and that is what Beni provides. White Sox get a potential starter back that would likely spend most of 2027 in AAA, but Henandez could move to the bullpen and help provide inning relief there, as I know we will need bodies at some point during the year. This Rosternomics came out in favor of the White Sox, but not substantially.
SUMMARY
As stated above, I can easily see the Colson for Trout back firing, but it would do so in glorious fashion. After 2027, there is very little on the books, so I do not see how there would be any issue with spending around Trout if need be. This will require some of the prized starter prospects to start taking over some of the 5 spots in earnest. In addition, I would expect Bonemer to be up as an IF/OF to help round out the lineup by June. I had no expectation of ever seeing Luisangel Acuna nor Brooks Baldwin in a White Sox uniform again, but this is what losing Colson did to the bench. There was a need for a defensive shortstop should Chase prove in over his head there in large doses. And the other bench players on the team do not provide the same flexibility we became accustomed to in 2026. There were not many (if any) free agents worth taking shots on, and I was already over budget. This exercise has proved to me that trading Colson this year is likely not the right move.
But can you imagine a healthy lineup with Sam and Chase on base for Mune, Trout, Vargas, and Bauers? The offense should be more well-rounded and stable. So maybe the defensive positioning limitations are muted. If they play well enough in the first half, there will be starting pitchers to be had at the deadline.
I considered extensions for Mune and Vargas, but in the end, I am already around $13 million over budget. So I will let them both show they can provide more, and will worry about cashing that check in 2028.
STARTERS
Burke, Sean $800,000
Kay, Anthony $5,000,000
Castillo, Luis $22,750,000
Martin, Davis $800,000
Detmers, Reid $5,500,000
RELIEVERS
CL Taylor, Grant $800,000
Hicks, Jordan $12,000,000
Brazoban, Huascar $1,600,000
Hudson, Bryan $800,000
Vasil, Mike $800,000
Smith, Hagen $800,000
Fedde, Erick $3,000,000
Newcomb, Sean $7,000,000
LINEUP
2ND Antonacci, Sam $800,000
1ST Murakami, Munetaka $17,500,000
LF Trout, Mike $35,450,000
3RD Vargas, Miguel $5,400,000
DH Bauers, Jake $16,500,000
CF Peters, Tristan $800,000
RF Montgomery, Braden $800,000
C Teel, Kyle $800,000
SS Meidroth, Chase $800,000
BENCH
SS/CF Acuna, Luisangel $800,000
C Bart, Joey $2,900,000
LF/RF/DH Pederson, Joc $9,750,000
SUPER UTILITY Baldwin, Brooks $800,000
MISC $
Hayes Buyout $1,000,000
Liam Annuity $1,500,000
$ from Boston (Hicks Trade) ($4,000,000)
$ money to Braves $4,500,000
$ from Angels ($15,000,000)
TOTAL = $142,750,000
