The White Sox have a clear spending lane this offseason, and the plan here is to use it. With a stadium move on the horizon, renegotiated broadcast deals coming, and a Japanese audience already boosted by the addition of Munetaka Murakami, the Sox have more than one reason to open the wallet.
They also have the payroll flexibility to do it, since much of last season’s success came from cost-controlled young talent and the club has almost no obligations in 2028. The number that makes sense in this setup is at least $160 million, giving the team the best shot to compete in 2027.
The biggest internal piece is Miguel Vargas, who is described as an obvious stud and a clear extension candidate. Brenton Doyle is another notable name in the mix, brought in because the Sox believe his swing can be fixed over the offseason.
At $3.6 million for a fourth outfielder with upside, that fits the market and also gives Chicago room to send Braden Montgomery to Triple-A to open the year. There are no impending free agents to worry about, and the Sox are not retaining any free agents.
The free-agent board starts with Seiya Suzuki, who is projected at four years and $108 million. He checks a lot of boxes: outfield help, another dependable right-handed bat, strong plate discipline, and another boost to the White Sox’s reach in Japan.
Kaima Taira comes next at three years and $52 million, with the possibility of being stretched into a starter or serving as a high-end reliever if Taylor and Smith make the transition. The fit is about more than roster construction, too - it further positions the White Sox as Japan’s AL team.
Kris Bubic lands as the stabilizer, a two-year, $24 million deal for a solid No. 2 starter. George Springer is slotted for one year and $10 million as part of a DH platoon with Benintendi. Gary Sanchez rounds out the free-agent targets at one year and $4.5 million, giving Kyle Teel regular breathers and allowing Quero to begin the season in Triple-A.
No major trades are expected, and the roster build assumes Edgar Quero, Braden Montgomery, Shane Smith, and Tanner McDougal all start the season in the minors. The pitching plan leans on a six-man rotation, keeping the Sox in their openers-and-long-relief experiment while easing the load on the young arms. Over the course of the season, the expectation is that one of Taira, Taylor, or Smith settles in as a true starter.
The lineup would feature Kyle Teel behind the plate, Munetaka Murakami at first, Chase Meidroth at second, Miguel Vargas at third, Sam Antonacci in left, Tristan Peters in center, Seiya Suzuki in right, and George Springer at DH. The bench would include Gary Sanchez, Brooks Baldwin, Brenton Doyle, and Andrew Benintendi.
The rotation is built around Kaima Taira, Kris Bubic, Sean Burke, Davis Martin, Luis Castillo, and Noah Schultz. In the bullpen, Grant Taylor is penciled in as closer, with Hagen Smith, Jordan Hicks, Bryan Hudson, Mike Vasil, Anthony Kay, and David Sandlin filling out the relief corps.
In Other News...
White Sox Could Be Facing A Crucial Outfield Decision Soon
As the White Sox head into an offseason built around trying to contend again, the front office is already sorting through a roster that it wants to keep largely intact for a 2026 push. One of the more immediate questions sits in the outfield, where left-hander Sean Newcomb and Randal Grichuk are both free agents, and Grichuks role is far from settled after arriving in May and giving the club a useful stretch of production.
Chicago may not need a complete overhaul, but it does need to decide whether it wants to bank on internal continuity or look outside for a more dependable fit in the corners. The free-agent market offers a few names who could make sense for different reasons, and the White Sox will have to weigh fit, upside and how much risk they want to carry as they try to build a roster that can actually stay in the race next year. [Read more 🡒]
Noah Schultz Suddenly Faces A White Sox Role Question In 2027
Noah Schultz spent his rookie season in a way the White Sox probably did not envision when they penciled him in as one of the organizations most important arms. The left-hander broke in as a starter in 2026, but inconsistency and a knee issue interrupted the year, and by September the club had shifted him to the bullpen to see whether a different role could help him settle in.
Chicago still sees Schultz as a long-term piece, but the path to 2027 is suddenly less straightforward than it looked a year ago. Whether he opens next season in the rotation or back in relief may hinge on what the White Sox do this winter and how he looks once camp opens, leaving his next step as one of the more interesting questions on the pitching staff. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Face A Free Agency Decision They Rarely Make
Several outlets have now finished rolling out their MLB free-agent rankings and contract projections, and the White Sox are at least being mentioned in a market they do not often shop in. Among the pitchers drawing attention is Michael King, a name that fits the kind of mid-to-upper tier target Chicago could consider if it wants to add real rotation help rather than simply patch a hole for another season.
For a franchise that has rarely been in position to chase that level of pitcher, the conversation matters as much as the fit itself. The White Sox also have a broader backdrop to watch, with MLB's proposed salary cap plan for 2028 already rejected by the players' union, a reminder that the economics of the sport could shift again before any long-term decision is made. [Read more 🡒]