Before we turn our attention to the pitchers that our would-be White Sox GMs targeted in the 2025-26 Sox Machine Offseason Plan Project, let's circle back to the position-player side for a couple of updates.
No. 1: While not a free agent, the White Sox continued to accumulate Tampa Bay employees by purchasing the recently DFA'd Tristan Peters from the Rays. Peters, a 25-year-old former SIU Saluki, hit .266/.355/.429 in his second full season at Triple-A Durham to merit his first taste of the majors. It wasn’t what he wanted, going 0-for-12 with seven strikeouts over a four-game cameo in August. He's left-handed and plays all three positions, and Charlotte needs outfielders, too, as Dru Baker and Zach DeLoach are the only ones currently on the Triple-A roster.
(This feels like Will Robertson in different packaging, but Robertson went 1-for-12 with seven strikeouts in the majors before the White Sox came calling.)
No. 2: ESPN's David Schoenfeld caused a little bit of a stir when he predicted the White Sox as a landing spot for Japanese third baseman Munetaka Murakami:
Murakami's deadline to sign is Dec. 22, so we're running out of time. His market still seems wide open. The Phillies could also be an interesting fit, or maybe the Los Angeles Angels want to do something. Indeed, if any of these top 10 free agents land in a surprising spot, Murakami might be the one. The White Sox have money to spend -- their current estimated payroll is just $68 million and that includes $20 million for Luis Robert Jr., who might be traded. They have a desperate need for power and Murakami fits at either third or first, depending on where Miguel Vargas ends up. This would be a nice roll of the dice for a White Sox team that looks to be on the rise.
Murakami's NPB strikeout rates are a fantastic reason for pause. They routinely hovered around 28-29 percent over the last few years, which stands out in a league in which Anthony Kay said there was no point in pursuing strikeouts because nobody whiffed.
That said, any excitement would be understandable, because a short-term flier would be a great way to create a surge of interest in a team that right now is relying on "we hope everybody we have improves" to carry a lot of weight. Yet having seen Jerry Reinsdorf not spend his way past a two-year contract that flopped in Year One, the bust rate seems a little too high for the White Sox to entertain at this juncture.
When it comes to ESPN hunches, I think there's a little more to Jeff Passan's report about the middle-tier starting pitcher market, which he says the White Sox are monitoring:
There are still starters aplenty available. Chris Bassitt is the best of the bunch for teams seeking innings -- only five pitchers have thrown more over the past four seasons -- and Lucas Giolito has the highest ceiling. Nick Martinez and Zack Littell are steady strike-throwers, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander quadragenarians with enough stuff and know-how to succeed, and Tyler Mahle and German Marquez tantalizing to teams that dream on what they could get out of a full, healthy season. Walker Buehler remains a prime bounce-back candidate, Patrick Corbin a lefty who can pitch forever and Michael Lorenzen an ever-ready swingman.
Depending on prices, truly every team could target this tier. Among those who have been most aggressive in mid-tier pursuit, according to sources: the White Sox, Orioles, Angels, Nationals, Mets, Padres and Diamondbacks.
Just about all of those names appeared in an offseason plan, as the White Sox stated an intent to find innings from this sort of pitcher. Here's who our participants preferred, both in the rotation and relief.
Starting pitchers
Receiving multiple votes:
Adrian Houser (9)-- 2 years, $22M with San FranciscoDustin May (7)-- 1 year, $12.5M with St. Louis- Martín Pérez (6)
- José Quintana (5)
- Erick Fedde (3)
- Zack Littell (3)
- Tyler Mahle (3)
- Griffin Canning (3)
- Zach Eflin (3)
- Patrick Corbin (3)
- Anthony Kay (2) -- 2 years, $12M with White Sox
- Tatsuya Imai (2)
Dylan Cease (2)-- 7 years, $210M with Toronto- Zac Gallen (2)
Triston McKenzie (2)-- MInor league deal with San Diego- Chris Paddack (2)
Cody Ponce (2)-- 3 years, $30M with Toronto
While we'll see how Kay's NPB arsenal plays back in the majors, he does bring a track record of durability that makes it a little easier to bank on a guy coming off an injury. Some of the injuries are a little scary, though -- Canning with an Achilles rupture, Mahle and Pérez with shoulder issues. McKenzie's career was derailed by a UCL sprain, but I was hoping the White Sox would've signed him, if only so they could've employed a 17th member of Baseball America's 2017 Top 100 Prospects list.
Receiving single votes:
- Jordan Montgomery
Brandon Woodruff-- Accepted qualifying offer from Milwaukee- Tyler Anderson
- German Marquez
- Justin Verlander
- Nick Martinez
- Lucas Giolito
Michael Soroka-- 1 year, $7.5M with Arizona- Michael Lorenzen
Kyle Hart-- 1 year, $1.2M with San Diego- Paul Blackburn
Marquez and Blackburn are two more guys who dealt with shoulder issues, while Montgomery is coming off a second Tommy John surgery. Giolito would've missed the entire postseason with an elbow flare up, but has since indicated he’s fine. Everybody else is just managing a decline.
Relief pitchers
Receiving multiple votes:
Devin Williams (10)-- 3 years, $51M with MetsGregory Soto (5)-- 1 year, $7.75M with PittsburghCaleb Ferguson (4)-- 1 year, $4.5M with CincinnatiHoby Milner (4)-- 1 year, $3.75M with Cubs- Jalen Beeks (3)
- Jakob Junis (3)
- Liam Hendriks (3)
Kenley Jansen (2)-- 1 year, $11M with DetroitLuke Weaver (2)-- 2 years, $22M with Mets- Andrew Chafin (2)
Ryan Helsley (2)-- 2 years, $28M with BaltimoreDrew Pomeranz(2) -- 1 year, $4M with Angels- Pete Fairbanks (2)
- Hunter Harvey (2)
- Michael Kopech (2)
Over the course of this category, you'll see the going rate for closers with high-leverage experience, adjusted for whether they're expected to continue saving games at their historical rates. The White Sox have been linked to Fairbanks, and since he last pitched for the Rays, an agreement could very well be inevitable.
Receiving single votes, righties:
- Rafael Montero
- Takahiro Norimoto
Ryan Yarbrough-- 1 year, $2.5M with YankeesKyle Finnegan-- 2 years, $19M with DetroitShawn Armstrong-- 1 year, $5.5M with Cleveland- Tyler Kinley
Erik Swanson-- RetiredAlexis Diaz-- 1 year with TexasRaisel Iglesias-- 1 year, $16M with AtlantaAndrew Kittredge-- Exercised option with BaltimorePhil Maton-- 2 years, $14.5M with Cubs- Paul Sewald
Jordan Romano-- 1 year, $2M with Angels- Shelby Miller
- Scott Barlow
Taylor Rogers-- 3 years,. $37M with Toronto- Tim Mayza
This section is pretty picked-through, with Armstrong the latest to strike a deal. Miller and Sewald boast recent closing experience, but their fortunes took turns for the worse in 2025. I suppose Norimoto also fits this bill, having saved 48 games over the last two seasons with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
Receiving single votes, lefties:
Matt Strahm-- 2026 option vested- Sean Newcomb
- Danny Coulombe
Strahm had a $7.5 million option that vested after throwing 60 innings and passing a physical, so he never ended up reached free agency. Also, the Phillies just traded him to Kansas City, which is where it all began for him. While the White Sox missed out on McKenzie, Newcomb is there if the White Sox want their 17th 2017 top prospect. He's seldom been the same pitcher in consecutive years, and that could be even more the case in 2026 if teams are truly considering a return to the rotation.
