The Houston Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night to bring the World Series to a close, but the White Sox began to cull their 40-man roster a couple days ago by outrighting Kyle Crick and Adam Haseley. Because Crick was on the 60-day injured list, the two moves only open up one spot on the 40-man roster, which is now at 39.
The White Sox still have Garrett Crochet, Jonathan Stiever and Danny Mendick to reinstate from the 60-day shelf, but they'll have José Abreu, Elvis Andrus, Vince Velasquez and Johnny Cueto hitting free agency today, so the White Sox have all the room they need regardless of AJ Pollock's status.
When do all of these decisions have to be made? I'm glad I asked.
The next five days: The White Sox will have to exercise Tim Anderson's $12.5 million option (or $1 million buyout), and we'll see whether they exercise Josh Harrison's $5.625 million option for 2023 ($1 million buyout). As for Pollock, the ball is in his court. He gets to decide whether to exercise the $13 million player option, or take a $5 million buyout.
The White Sox have no qualifying offers to consider this year, because they offered one to José Abreu the last time he entered free agency.
Monday-Thursday: The annual GM meetings take place in Las Vegas.
Monday: We'll see if Dylan Cease meets our expectations as an American League Cy Young finalist.
Thursday at 5:00 p.m. ET: Free agency begins.
Nov. 15: The deadline to add players to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. This year's candidates include Bryan Ramos, José Rodríguez, Yolbert Sánchez, Luis Mieses and Kade McClure.
Nov. 15: We'll find out where Tony La Russa finished in American League Manager of the Year voting.
Nov. 16: We'll find out where Dylan Cease finished in American League Cy Young voting.
Nov. 17: We'll see if Cease picked up any MVP votes.
Nov. 18: The deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players. With Crick off the 40-man, the White Sox are down to seven cases: Lucas Giolito, Dylan Cease, Reynaldo López, Adam Engel, Michael Kopech, José Ruiz and Danny Mendick.
PERTINENT: White Sox can take hard look at half their arbitration-eligible players
Nov. 21: The Baseball Hall of Fame releases the BBWAA ballot. The only potential new name with White Sox ties is Jason Grilli, unless you count Chad Qualls.
Dec. 5-7: The winter meetings, a casualty of last year's lockout, are back in San Diego, but a day shorter than they used to be.
Dec. 7: The Rule 5 draft, which wasn't conducted last winter because of the lockout, will serve as the de facto closing ceremonies to the winter meetings.
Jan. 13-15: The Cubs Convention, which will remind everybody that the White Sox ducked out of SoxFest because they didn't want to spend a weekend getting yelled at.
Jan. 15: International signing period opens.
Jan. 24: We'll find out if Mark Buehrle will make it to a fourth Hall of Fame ballot.
