After a successful season, the Chicago White Sox still have real work to do this winter. Starting pitching sits at the top of the list, and the club also needs a backup catcher. The rotation is the obvious priority, but the rest of the roster can’t be ignored.
That’s why some of the quieter names on the free-agent market deserve a look. While much of the attention will go to top starter Tarik Skubal, the White Sox could find value in a few lesser-known options who fit specific needs.
Kris Bubic is the kind of pitcher who could come a little cheaper because of the bumps in his career. The Royals took him in the first round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Stanford University, and he reached the majors in 2020. His first three seasons were rough, and injuries soon became a major part of the story.
Tommy John recovery limited him to just 50 games over the next three seasons, but he bounced back in a big way in 2025, making the All-Star team with a 2.55 ERA in 20 starts. Expectations were high heading into 2026, but arm injuries interrupted that progress again. He made only nine starts for Kansas City, posted a 4.11 ERA, and was later traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Carlos Durán.
Bubic didn’t get much of a chance with the Dodgers because of their pitching depth, but he was effective when called on. In five games covering 4.2 innings, he didn’t allow a run.
He also gave up two runs in two playoff games. For Chicago, he could fill a Sean Newcomb-type role as either a back-end starter or a bulk reliever in lower- or higher-leverage spots.
Michael Soroka is another name that might not excite White Sox fans at first glance, especially after his 2024 season in Chicago. But his track record before that was once far more promising.
The Braves selected him in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft, and he finished runner-up for National League Rookie of the Year in 2019. Injuries then wiped out most of his early career, and he appeared in only 10 games from 2020 to 2023.
His time with the White Sox in 2024 went badly, as he went 0-10 with a 4.74 ERA. Still, Soroka looked much better after signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2026.
He put up a 3.41 ERA in 22 games, struck out 114 batters, walked just 29, and logged 116 innings. That kind of rebound could make him a mid-rotation option, with the possibility of slotting in as the second starter behind Sean Burke.
Then there’s James McCann, who would bring a familiar face back to the South Side. He was an All-Star with the White Sox in 2019 and became a quick favorite during his two seasons in Chicago because of the way he handled a pitching staff and his defense behind the plate. In his last two seasons with Arizona, he served as Gabriel Moreno’s backup, but he also showed some life at the plate, hitting .272/.317/.444 with 12 home runs in 93 games.
Chicago needs help behind the plate, especially with uncertainty surrounding Edgar Quero, Drew Romo, Jake Rogers, and others during the 2026 season. McCann could give the White Sox a steady backup catcher, and his experience would matter for Kyle Teel as well. The age-37 catcher could help Teel manage the pitching staff and provide a veteran presence in the clubhouse.
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White Sox Finally Found Real Power But One Big Question Remains
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Munetaka Murakami, Sam Antonacci, Randal Grichuk and Colson Montgomery all supplied moments that hinted at what this offense could become, whether it was raw exit velocity, a towering drive or a swing that changed the mood of a game. The next step is harder than simply adding homers, though, because the White Sox still need that power to fit into a more coherent approach at the plate if they want the surge to last. [Read more 🡒]
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White Sox Prospect George Wolkow Faces One Big Test After Power Surge
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The challenge now is separating real growth from the conditions around him. Wolkows recent surge has come in a minor league environment that has been friendlier to hitters, which makes the evaluation trickier for Chicago as it tries to figure out whether this is the start of a more complete offensive profile or just a hot stretch amplified by the setting. For a player whose strikeout issues have remained part of the story, the next test is whether the power keeps showing up once the context gets less forgiving. [Read more 🡒]