PREAMBLE
The White Sox have lost more than 100 games in three consecutive seasons. They’ve somehow convinced us that signing good baseball players is a fantasy. That sitting at the negotiation table without making any signings is the proper way to manage a baseball team. That bringing in AAAA players is the absolutely correct way to build a winning team. That there is only one “right time” to add talent. That splurging should happen in a single offseason rather than through a sustained, multi-year process.
I believe this is a fallacy—one that has been disproven by recent rebuilds. The idea that half-assing a rebuild is a sound strategy simply doesn’t hold up. I am taking a different direction with my OPP.
COACHING STAFF
- Hitting coach: Not sure
- Pitching coach: Not sure
I don't know enough to name coaches so I'll it blank.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Mike Tauchman: Non-tender
- Steven Wilson: Non-tender
- Derek Hill: Non-tender
Tauchman was a nice story in 2025, but he ain't getting any younger. He is not a good fielder. The White Sox need to improve defense. We can do better without Wilson, and Hill isn't a gold glove candidate to justify a roster spot for a very bad hitter, and not a particular good runner either.
CLUB OPTIONS
- Luis Robert Jr.: Exercise $20 million option
- Martín Perez: Buy out for $1.5 million
Everything indicates that Getz will be picking Luis Robert Jr contract. I think it is a decent move considering we need outfielders and the Minors is barren in that front.
FREE AGENTS
Bo Bichette (7 years, $185 million): Bichette is a hitting machine with some pop. He can play SS and 2B which could be tremendous asset for various years. I know many fans love Meidroth, but I believe Meidroth is a utility infielder that wouldn't embarrass himself if he has to play for extended periods of time.
Ramon Laureano (1 year, $9 million): A slightly more expensive version of Tauchman, but a better hitter and fielder. Hopefully, healthier. He used to be a decent fielder. Maybe he can regain a bit of that.
Zack Littell (2years, $25 million): Decent inning eater that buys the White Sox time until big horses are ready.
Phil Maton (2 year, $15 million): Another reliable reliever.
TRADES
Trade Edgar Quero to the Redsox for Wilyer Abreu.
The Redsox have a surplus of outfielders. Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran and Raffaela pretty much displace Abreu to 4th outfielder duties. Abreu is 26, cheap, a gold glove, very good against RHP (not good against LHP). He can spell all outfield positions. Carlos Narvaez had a great defensive season, but Quero might have the upswing with the bat. Combined, they could make a great catching tandem. The White Sox upgrade defense tremendously, and solve one outfield position for many years.
SUMMARY
Outfielders:
Robert Jr
Abreu
Benintendi (also DH)
Laureano
Baldwin
Infielders:
Bichette
Vargas
Montgomery
Sosa (Also DH)
Meidroth
Mead
Catchers:
Teel
Lee
Starting Pitchers:
Burke
Littell
Smith
Martin
Cannon / Schultz / Hagen Smith / Y. Gomez
Relievers:
Vasil
Taylor
Maton
Leasure
W. Gonzalez
P. Payette / Palisch (L) / Shane Murphy (L)
This is by no means a team that will contend because of the lack of starting pitcher (and relievers, we might need to add a LH reliever here but there is no one decent in the free agency so it might have to come via trade), but it is a team that fills some holes for various years, and should be good to watch.
Potential Starting line-up:
2B Bichette
SS Montgomery(L)
CF Robert
C Teel (L)
LF Laureano
RF Abreu (L)
3B Vargas
DH Benintendi (L)
1B Sosa
We could swap Montgomery for Abreu with Montgomery moving to clean up spot and Teel taking Abreu's spot.
Cost: Approx. 115 million. So I went over the 90 million threshold, but Robert Jr will be gone (or become cheaper) next year, and we'll be ready to add Braden Montgomery. 115 million payroll is not a crazy payroll.
