PREAMBLE
We all know the reality of this White Sox team. My goal is to fill out the roster with the right veterans that allows whatever talent is on this team the best chance to make the most of their talent. If everything goes right, this team may win 70 games. But hopefully there is enough here to win at least 60 games. I am pretty sure there is.
MANAGER
It is Will Venable. He was my preferred pick. He seems to communicate with players well and has the brains to understand the analytics. He also has been around some good organizations, and I hope he can tell the Sox what they are missing in terms of game preparation. I am hoping for the best, although there is only so much a manager can do.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Andrew Vaughn: $6.4M -- Tender reluctantly
- Nicky Lopez: $5.1M -- Non-tender
- Garrett Crochet: $2.9M -- Tender
- Gavin Sheets: $2.6M -- Non-tender
- Enyel De Los Santos: $1.7M -- Non-tender (offer minor league deal)
- Jimmy Lambert: $1.2M -- Non-tender (same)
- Justin Anderson: $1.1M -- Tender
- Steven Wilson: $1M -- Tender
- Matt Foster: $900K -- Non-tender (offer minor league deal)
I am not a big Andrew Vaughn guy, but there are not a lot of better options for First Base/DH. I do think that on a better lineup, Vaughn is more a 110 OPS+ player than a 100 OPS+ player. Hopefully, this year offers some better protection. He might have some value to a team like the Pirates or Reds if they play well next year.
CLUB OPTIONS
- Yoán Moncada: $25M ($5M buyout) -- Decline(d)
- Max Stassi: $7M ($500K buyout) -- Decline(d) (offer minor league deal. He was a good story and seemed like a good clubhouse presence when he was healthy)
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- Michael Soroka (Made $3M in 2023) -- Bring back, 1 year $4 million.
- Mike Clevinger ($3M) -- Shoot into space.
- Chris Flexen ($1.75) -- Move one.
I think Soroka in the bullpen is a real option. He seemed like he could have been a trade piece last year if he was not injured. He looked like a real multi-inning reliever at the end of last season. Watching him in person, he is tall, and it is a lot of arms and legs coming at a batter. I think he could be one of those good failed starter reliever types.
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: Jorge Polanco (1 year, $10 million).
The Mariners declined his club option. He knows the AL Central and was an above average hitter in 2023. A switch hitter who can play 3rd, 2nd, and 1st (I assume he could play first), he will get all the at bats he can handle the first half of the season. He will turn 32 next season. With good health and production, he can play himself into being flipped at the deadline and maybe a 2 year contract after. He has good power for 2nd, hits ok, and walks some, while the defense is falling off with age. I think the White Sox still need some stability, and this signing provides some veteran presence and a decent trade chip if he performs well.
No. 2: Max Kepler (2 year, $10 million year 1, $15 million team option year 2).
I guess I like former Twins, but they are better options than former Royals. Kepler plays defense well, takes walks, and has some power when he is going well. He was an above average player in 2023 and will also be 32 for the 2025 season. I think this is like Polanco. He will bring some veteran stability and can be a trade piece at the deadline if he plays well. The option is there if he is playing well and the Sox want to hold on to him for 2026. They probably should not, but I think it would bring some more value.
No. 3: Michael Lorenzen (2 years, $9 million year 1, $10 million team option for year 2).
It seems like every year this guy is a pretty ok player, but he can never get a multi-year contract. The Sox can outbid people for him, as it seems the rest of the league does not value him that much. Probably the middling strikeout numbers, but he has made it work for a while. He is a back of the rotation starter who can move to the bullpen if necessary, which is exactly what the Sox will need in the rotation. I have always liked the stuff when I watched him pitch, and he seems like a guy who has good stuff to keep runs off the board but not good enough stuff to accumulate lots of strikeouts. This profile works fine for the 2025 White Sox. They can probably move him too if he is playing well.
No. 4: Paul Sewald (1 year, $7 million).
This is the seas the White Sox are swimming in for free agents. The guy was getting saves for the Diamondbacks even though the ERA was getting up there. It is always a lot to ask a young reliever to be the closer. Sewald has done it for a while. Even if there is some decline, the Sox just need a player who will get the save 4 out of every 5 chances. If he is playing well, he can be flipped at the deadline for something.
No. 5: Tommy Pham (1 year, $3 million).
It worked ok last season. They need a right handed corner outfield. Kepler and Benny are not the best against left handed pitching anymore. He is a character, but everything seemed to work well last year with Pham. He played well enough to be traded. Might as well try it again.
TRADES
No. 1: Trade Garrett Crochet to Orioles for Samuel Basello, Dylan Beavers, Michael Forret, Emilio Sanchez. Crochet probably has more value than Cease did last year, but if you look at these trades, the returns get lighter if you are asking for more position players. I am not sure where I am with this package if it is overvaluing him or undervaluing him, but I know we have to trade him, and the Os seem like the best fit. Basello is the big get here. The Sox can afford to give him time in the minors and see if he can become a real catcher, or at least a 2nd catcher and part time DH. Beaver was not blowing away AAA, but seems like he will be some sort of major league outfielder. Forret is a young reliever type, and Sanchez is a 17 year old shortstop from the Dominican. The later two are lottery ticket types that I picked off the prospect lists, but they seem to have potential. Again, not sure where I am with this trade, but something like this seems right if we want position players for Crochet.
SUMMARY
I think this team will not lose 121 games. They might play ok at times really. When the prospects play well enough to get time in the MLB, the Sox can move on from anyone here.
Lineup
C: Quero ($800K)
1B: Vargas, Sosa, anyone ($800K)
2B: Polanco ($10M)
SS: Baldwin ($800K)
3B: Vargas, Ramos ($800K)
LF: Benintendi ($16.5M)
CF: Robert ($15M)
RF: Kepler ($10M)
DH: Vaughn ($6M)
Bench: Lee ($800K), Pham ($3M), Amaya ($800K), leftover from above
Rotation
SP1: Martin ($800K)
SP2: Lorenzen ($9M)
SP3: Cannon ($800K)
SP4: Thorpe ($800K)
SP5: Burke ($800K)
Bullpen
CP: Sewald ($7M)
RP: Soroka ($4M)
RP: Wilson ($1M)
RP: Anderson ($1.1M)
RP: Shuster ($800K) (long reliever)
RP: Ellard ($800K)
RP: Varland ($800K)
RP: Berroa ($800K)
RP: Whoever wins the job coming out of spring training ($800k). You could say this about the last four bullpen spots.
Total payroll: $95.4 million
I might actually enjoy watching this team play at times. Perfectly cromulent.
