PREAMBLE
2026 accelerated the White Sox timeline. (84-78, AL-leading 776 runs, +56 run differential). The rotation is what limits the current upside: it threw the fewest innings in MLB and averaged about 4.3 innings per start against an MLB average of 5.3. The plan below puts almost every free dollar into innings. It adds one front-line starter on a back-loaded deal, adds a second veteran starter on a two-year deal backloaded deal, trades Jordan Hicks for a cost-controlled arm to save $12M of budget room, and locks up Murakami, Vargas and Burke while 2028 commitments are near zero. Projected Opening Day payroll is ~$129.5M,
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Miguel Vargas: Tender
- Brenton Doyle: Tender
- Joey Bart: Tender
- Huascar Brazobán: Non-tender
- Jordan Leasure: Non-tender
- Chris Murphy: Non-tender
Miguel Vargas ($5.4M projected): easy call. He was our best player, and $5.4M for that is a bargain.
Brenton Doyle ($3.6M): tender. He’s a two-time Gold Glove center fielder, under control for 2027 and 2028, and he has a defined job (center field against lefties, late-inning defense, Peters’ backup). Signing a comparable outfielder in free agency would cost $3–5M with only one year of control. We also gave up our No. 8 prospect for him in August. That’s spent and doesn’t decide anything, but non-tendering him three months later would be pure loss.
Joey Bart ($2.9M): tender, but it’s the closest call. Kyle Teel missed most of 2026 with three separate injuries, so the backup catcher plays real games. The cheaper option is Edgar Quero at about $0.8M, but he hit .541 OPS and is 23. He’ll develop better catching every day at Triple-A than sitting on our bench.
Huascar Brazobán ($1.6M projected). He turns 37, and in 14.1 innings with us he had a 4.39 ERA and 7 strikeouts. Relievers like him are available on minor-league deals every spring, so neither the money nor the roster spot is worth it.
Chris Murphy ($0.9M). The salary is trivial. The roster spot isn’t: he had a 4.81 ERA, and that spot is worth more for protecting a prospect from the Rule 5 draft. I’d non-tender him and offer a minor-league deal with a spring training invite.
Jordan Leasure ($1M). He’s rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, so most of 2027 is rehab. The standard move is to non-tender, then re-sign him to a two-year minor-league deal. We keep the pitcher and his upside without tying up a roster spot for a rehab year. The risk is that another team offers him a major-league deal. For a reliever with a 6.27 ERA in 18.2 innings in 2026, I’d accept risk.
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- Sean Newcomb
Sean Newcomb - 2 yr / $11M ($5.5M AAV). Two years might entice Newcomb and it's a raise from his last deal and is based on Fangraphs data. We're paying for volume (90 IP) and familiarity.
FREE AGENTS
Freddy Peralta - 4 yr / $100M ($25M AAV), back-loaded ($15M / $28M / $28M / $29M). Four straight seasons of 30+ starts, and good stuff+. We need SP innings. The 2026 dip came with the Mets (4.99 ERA in 22 starts); he posted a 3.25 ERA in 10 starts after joining Tampa
Michael Soroka — 2 yr / $36M ($18M AAV) ($14M in 2027, $22M in 2028). He has the best mix of bat-missing, control and age among mid-priced starters. The risk is health: his 116 IP were his most since 2019. TBD if he would want a second tour of duty with the Sox. A back-up plan would be Casey Mize.
Evan Phillips, RHP (32) — 2 yr / $21M ($10.5M AAV) ($9M in 2027, $12M in 2028). ZiPS projects only 55 IP and 0.6 WAR for 2027, because he came back from Tommy John in July (31 games, 3.46 ERA, 33 K in 26 IP). We're paying for a 126 Stuff+ arm and his pre-surgery record, at the market rate for relievers, which always runs above WAR-based value. A back-up plan would be Jonathan Loáisiga
Miguel Andujar, 3B/1B/OF (32) — 1 yr / $3M. This is the replacement for Randal Grichuk. Not only can be play both corner OF positions, we can play both corner IF positions was well. He's hit lefties well in his career. He's the first to go when Caleb Bonemer comes up.
TRADES
The Sox get Ty Madden, RHP, 27 in 2027, pre-arb. 2026: 47 IP, 3.26 ERA, 46 K, 14 BB, mostly multi-inning relief + $12M of 2027 payroll space
The Tigers get Jordan Hicks, 1 yr / $12M. with a 38.7% K rate late in the season. Shane Smith, RHP, pre-arb. 2025 All-Star. Shane had a tough 2026 (10.80 ERA in 3 MLB starts; 5.57 ERA and a 16% walk rate at Triple-A). Tigers get a reliable closer option after blowing 32 saves, plus a buy-low starter with past All-Star upside. If not Smith, then offer William Bergolla Jr to replace Torres.
SUMMARY
Extensions:
Murakami — 5 yr / $135M ($27M AAV) (2028–32), opt-out after 2030. He's signed only through 2027 ($17M). 2026: 35 HR, 92 BB, .825 OPS in 127 games at age 26. Alonso and Schwarber got $30–31M on seasons of elite power. Murakami has one MLB season and a strikeout rate that held him to 2 yr / $34M last winter, so he prices about 12% below them. He clears Naylor easily on power and walks, and he's 5–6 years younger than Alonso or Schwarber.
Miguel Vargas - 5 yr / $64M ($5M / $10M / $13M / $18M / $18M) + $20M 2032 club option ($2M buyout). Buys out 3 arb years + 2 FA years. His likely arb path of about $5.4M, $10M and $14M totals roughly $29M over the next 3 years. Two free-agent years at ages 31–32 would cost $20M+ each on the open market based on recent comps.
Sean Burke - 5 yr / $40M (2027–31) + two club options pre-arb. Comps include Hunter Green and Spencer Strider. Spencer Strider (ATL, Oct. 2022) 6 yr / $75M + club option. Hunter Greene (CIN, Apr. 2023) 6 yr / $53M + club option. Burke was our best pitcher in 2026 and someone that can eat innings and be a foundation in our rotation.
Lineup vs. RHP
1 Sam Antonacci LF
2 Chase Meidroth 2B
3 Miguel Vargas 3B
4 Munetaka Murakami 1B
5 Tristan Peters CF
6 Colson Montgomery SS
7 Kyle Teel C
8 Andrew Benintendi DH
9 Braden Montgomery RF
Lineup vs. LHP
1 Chase Meidroth 2B
2 Miguel Vargas 3B
3 Munetaka Murakami 1B
4 Miguel Andujar DH
5 Colson Montgomery SS
6 Sam Antonacci LF
7 Kyle Teel C
8 Braden Montgomery RF
9 Brenton Doyle CF
Bench: Joey Bart (C) · Brenton Doyle (CF, starts vs. LHP, late-inning defense) · Miguel Andujar (DH/1B/3B/corner OF, starts vs. LHP) · Luisangel Acuña (SS/2B/CF, speed, defensive sub)
Rotation:
- Freddy Peralta (R): FA, 30+ start floor
- Sean Burke (R): 3.34 ERA, 172 IP
- Michael Soroka (R):
- Davis Martin (R): healthy calf brings back the first-half version
- Anthony Kay (L): 158 IP, durable 5th starter
Bullpen:
Grant Taylor R - Closer / multi-inning
Evan Phillips R - Setup
Hagen Smith L - High leverage
Sean Newcomb L - Multi-inning
Bryan Hudson L - Middle
Tyler Davis R - Middle
Ty Madden R (from DET) - Long / 6th SP
Luis Castillo R - Long / 6th SP
