The White Sox have spent most of this season getting praised for the offense, and that’s fair. They lead the American League in runs per game, and that production has helped drive a strong season.
But the bullpen has been every bit as important. It has carried a lot of the load while the starting rotation has been up and down, and pitchers like Grant Taylor, Sean Newcomb, Bryan Hudson, and Jordan Hicks have kept the staff moving in the right direction.
Most of that group is under team control beyond this year. Newcomb is the one exception, which makes replacing him an offseason priority.
One name that fits the bill is Padres left-hander Adrian Morejon, who is headed for free agency after the season. Morejon, a native of Cuba and a former top prospect, began his career as a starter before settling into relief over the last few years. The 27-year-old has a 2.86 ERA across 78.2 innings this season, giving him his third straight year with an ERA under 3.00 and at least 60 innings pitched.
The stuff is loud, too. His fastball sits at nearly 100 MPH, and he complements it with a slider and changeup that give him three legitimate weapons. That kind of year-over-year reliability is hard to find in a reliever, which is why he should draw plenty of attention once free agency opens.
Fansided has speculated that his next contract could mirror the three-year, $45 million deal Robert Suarez signed with Atlanta this past offseason. Morejon has posted similar numbers to Suarez, and he is younger, which could push the price even higher. It would not be a cheap add, but the White Sox are working with a very small payroll next season and should have room to chase another high-end lefty for the bullpen.
The other path is simpler: try to keep Newcomb. Now 33 and coming off two productive seasons, he may want a chance to start in his next deal.
Even so, the White Sox would likely welcome him back on a shorter-term contract if he’s willing. He has a 2.42 ERA in 81.2 innings this year while working both as an opener and in late-inning spots, and he has been the kind of versatile arm the club has missed since Mike Vasil’s injury in spring training.
However it plays out, the White Sox need another dominant left-hander behind Bryan Hudson. Hagen Smith is expected to report to camp as a starter, so the search for bullpen help should be active. If the team is ready to spend to support what should be a competitive core, Morejon stands out as a fit that makes a lot of sense.
In Other News...
White Sox Pitching Decision Could Change Hagen Smith's Role
Luis Castillos recent stretch has left the White Sox with a little more sorting to do on the mound. After he failed to complete five innings in each of his last four starts, Chicago pushed back his next scheduled outing, and the club has not yet posted probable pitchers for the coming series. Will Venable said Hagen Smith is expected to get the ball against the Pittsburgh Pirates, a sign that the team is still balancing immediate rotation needs with the longer-term plan for a young arm.
For now, the White Sox are still working with Castillo on his mechanics and recovery while keeping other options in play. David Sandlin and Smith are both in the mix, and the way Chicago lines up the next few games could say a lot about how the team wants to handle its pitching depth from here. The rotation picture is still fluid, and Smiths role may end up being shaped as much by Castillos progress as by his own readiness. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Made A Miguel Vargas Choice Fans Wont Forget Soon
Will Venables decision to sit Miguel Vargas for what he called a routine day off quickly became one of those choices that travels well beyond a single afternoon. The White Sox were deep enough into the season that every lineup decision invited scrutiny, and leaving a star third baseman out of the starting nine only fueled the kind of injury speculation managers usually try to avoid. Venable pushed back on that idea, but the absence still stood out because Vargas has become one of the more important bats in the lineup.
Vargas did eventually pinch hit, but the moment never turned into the kind of late-game spark Chicago needed. He grounded into a double play in a critical spot, and the White Sox lost, which only sharpened the look-back at the original decision. With the season winding down, the bigger point feels pretty simple: if Chicago wants to squeeze out meaningful wins, it needs its best players on the field as often as possible, even when the margins feel small. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox AFL Group Just Offered One Encouraging Prospect Clue
The White Soxs Arizona Fall League group offers a small but useful window into how the organization is viewing a few of its position-player prospects this fall. Caleb Bonemer, Anthony DePino, Colby Shelton and Grant Magill were named as the clubs AFL representatives, giving Chicago another chance to get extended looks at players who spent the summer moving through the system and trying to carve out a clearer development path.
DePinos inclusion is the most interesting note for the White Sox, since he was recently placed on the 7-day injured list. His assignment to the AFL suggests the issue is not a major one, which is a welcome sign for a player the organization still wants to evaluate in a more competitive setting. For a farm system that continues to lean on incremental progress, even a simple roster reveal can offer a hint about who the club still has in mind for a bigger role. [Read more 🡒]