PREAMBLE
The 2023 White Sox season was beyond disappointing. The offseason so far has been just as bad with TA, Hendriks and now Jason Benetti all heading elsewhere and Grifol staying? We (& I'm sure the clubhouse) knew this season was over in April and May. So now Getz and this front office have a tremendous amount of work to do to reshuffle this roster. Jerry isn't going to fight the other front offices in the pursuit of the elite players like Ohtani, Snell, Yamamoto, Nola or trade for a guy like Soto who will all earn more than $30+ million dollars a year (Ohtani probably $50 Million). So, this Sox front office have to spread any money they are going to spend on various players to fill this roster. I think they can make some trades to supplement a handful of free agents to make a team that can contend in the AL Central where not a single team is ever going for it. The roster needs depth, speed, defense and more athleticism.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Dylan Cease: $8.8M tender &
- Andrew Vaughn: $3.7M tender
- Michael Kopech: $3.6M tender
- Touki Toussaint: $1.7M non-tender
- Trayce Thompson: $1.7M non-tender
- Garrett Crochet: $900K tender &
- Clint Frazier: $900K non-tender
- Matt Foster: $740K tender
CLUB OPTIONS
- Tim Anderson: $14M ($1M buyout) his option was declined
- Liam Hendriks: $15M ($15M buyout, paid $1.5M annually over next 10 years) Liam's option was declined
MUTUAL OPTIONS
- Mike Clevinger: $12M mutual option ($4 million buyout) Clevinger was bought out
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- Yasmani Grandal (Made $18.25M in 2023) let go I don't want to see Yaz again
- Elvis Andrus ($3M) let go
- Bryan Shaw ($720K) let go I don't want to watch Shaw pitch again
- José Ureña ($720K) let go
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: Eduardo Rodriguez (4years, $85MM). The Sox need a top of the rotation starter. I think Rodriguez is in the Sox price range and is a lefty. I would love Snell, Montgomery but they're both Boras clients who will get overpaid somewhere else, like Rodon last year.
No. 2: Marcus Stroman (3years, $55.5MM). I really wanted Giolito or Flaherty here but Stroman became available and I think he'll get less $ and is a better pitcher than both of them. He essentially gets a Keuchel like contract.
No. 3: Jordan Hicks (4years, at $40MM). The Sox need more bullpen help after the mass exodus of this years bloated overpaid bullpen. Hicks is only 27. Last year in both St. Louis and Toronto he kept ball on the ground at a 58.3% rate and allowed only 0.55 home runs per 9 innings.
No. 4: Aroldis Chapman (2 years, $16MM First year at $8 million with a 2nd year option at another $8 million). I like the stuff more than the player honestly. He had a really good start to the year in Kansas City but fell off a bit after being traded to Texas. I think he's the best lefty reliver behind Hader.
No. 5: Gary Sanchez (1years, $9.5MM). The White Sox desperately need a starting catcher. Sanchez was really good in San Diego last year after disappointing in Minneapolis. He is a thumper who can DH occasionally but also can provide good defense.
TRADES
All trades run through baseball trade values trade simulator.
No. 1: The Orioles get P Dylan Cease, DH Eloy Jimenez and P Gregory Santos and the WHite Sox get OF Anthony Santander, P John Means, 2B Jordan Westburg, SS Jorge Mateo, P DL Hall and OF Jud Fabian (BAL 49.30/CWS 49.00) The Orioles ownership is cheaper than even the Sox. They already told the fans they aren't going to sign this young core long term. With that in mind they are still trying to contend. With this deal they're giving up Santander's salary $12.7 million, Means salary $5.9 million and Mateo at $2.9 million ($21.5 million) plus 3 prospects for an ace in Cease ($8.8 million) Eloy ($13.8 million) and a cheap closer in Gregory Santos all for around $22 million the going rate if not more for the ace the staff needs. The White Sox get Hall a Crochet like lefty stuck in starter/reliever limbo. They also get Mateo (stole 24 bases) who can plug in at SS until Montgomery comes up in late 2024 and Jud Fabian who is Baltimore's 5th best OF prospect. He becomes the best OF prospect for the Sox.
No. 2: The Brewers get P Aaron Bummer, IF Jose Rodriguez and 1B Gavin Sheets and the White Sox get 1B Rowdy Tellez and OF Tyrone Taylor (MIL 3.50/CWS 3.00) The Brewers dump Tellez and Taylors salaries for a cheap reliever in Bummer, an infield prospect in Rodriguez and a cheap 1B in Sheets. Taylor won't play much in Milwaukee with their fantastic set of rookie outfielders and provides a backup in the OF for the Sox. Tellez is thumper when healthy and fairly cheap at $5.9 million. The White Sox are taking on $7.6 million dollars in the deal and the Brewers are taking on Bummers $5.5 million.
No. 3: The Pirates get P Sean Burke, P Ky Bush and P Garrett Crochet and the White Sox get P Bailey Falter and IF/OF Ji Hwan Bae (BAL 49.30/CWS 49.00). Here is a swap of Falter and Crochet who are very similar. Falter though has been a starter and reliever for the Phillies and Pirates. The Sox also get back Hwan Bae. He is a Billy Hamilton type that can play infield and outfield. He had 24 stolen bases last year in a limited role with the Pirates.
2024 Starting Lineup and Bench $88.35 Million
- Andrew Benintendi LF $17.1MM
- Andrew Vaughn 1B $3.5MM
- Luis Robert Jr. CF $12.5MM
- Anthony Santander RF $12.7MM
- Yoan Moncada 3B $24.5MM
- Gary Sanchez C $9.5MM
- Rowdy Tellez DH $5.9MM
- Jordan Westburg 2B $750k
- Jorge Mateo SS $2.9MM
Bench C Korey Lee ($750k), OF Tyrone Taylor ($1.7MM), IF/OF Ji Hawn Bae ($750k) and IF Romy Gonzalez ($750k)
Starting Rotation $48.35 Million
- Eduardo Rodriguez L $22MM
- Marcus Stroman R $16MM
- John Means $5.9MM
- Michael Kopech $3.6MM
- One of Nick Nastrini, Bailey Falter, Christain Mena, Davis Martin, Jake Eder
Bullpen/Arm Barn $22.25 Million
Jordan Hicks R($10MM), Aroldis Chapman L($8MM), Jordan Leasure R($750k), DL Hall L($750k), Matt Foster R($750k), Bailey Falter L($750k), Luis Patino R($750k)
2024 Payroll $158.95 million dollars plus $11.5 million in buyouts equals $172.45 million dollars.
