The White Sox have been fairly quiet so far this offseason, but not completely silent. Chris Getz’s front office made its first notable move by signing left-handed pitcher Anthony Kay to a two-year, $12 million deal-a name that appeared on a couple of fan-submitted offseason plans. Whether that move turns out to be a savvy value play or a misfire remains to be seen, but for now, it’s the only major league free agent signing on the Sox’s books.
Kay’s addition is a small step in what figures to be a long journey for a team that has more holes than answers, particularly on the pitching side. That’s reflected in the 97 different free agent names submitted across 51 offseason plans by fans, with about two-thirds of those suggestions being pitchers.
No surprise there: the rotation and bullpen are both in need of serious reinforcements. But it's not just the mound that needs attention-there are also questions in the outfield and around the diamond.
That said, with a logjam of young players and guys out of minor league options, trades might be the more realistic path to clearing space and adding talent on the position player side.
Let’s break down where things stand with the most popular free agent suggestions across infielders, outfielders, and the ever-quiet catcher market.
Infielders: A Tight Market with Big Swings
The infield market is smaller but more concentrated, and a few names drew multiple nods from fans hoping to see them in black and white.
Ryan O’Hearn led the way with six mentions. He’s still available and has been loosely linked to the White Sox.
He’s an above-average bat who’s bounced between the Orioles and Padres in recent years. The question is whether he sees a better opportunity with a contender, or whether the Sox can sell him on playing time and a chance to be part of a rebuild.
Josh Naylor, who was a popular pick early in the offseason, didn’t last long on the market. He signed a five-year, $92.5 million deal with the Mariners-well outside what most expect the White Sox to spend. Still, his inclusion in fan plans shows a willingness to dream big, even within budget constraints.
Josh Bell came off the board just this morning, agreeing to a deal with the Twins that includes $5.5 million in base salary, a $250,000 signing bonus, and a $1.25 million buyout. That’s a solid value pickup for Minnesota.
Pete Alonso was also floated in a couple of plans, but he landed a massive five-year, $155 million deal with the Orioles-a price tag that would double the largest contract in White Sox franchise history.
Lewin Diaz, meanwhile, is heading overseas after a monster year in Korea, where he won the KBO triple crown. He re-upped with the Samsung Lions on a one-year, $1.3 million deal, giving him a chance to defend his title.
A few other names received single votes, including Bo Bichette, Luis Arraez, Paul Goldschmidt, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Jorge Mateo, and Japanese stars Kazuma Okamoto and Munetaka Murakami. Bichette remains the only player in that group with the kind of star power to shape the market.
Murakami’s negotiating window closes in a week, while Okamoto has until January 4. Where they’ll land is still anyone’s guess.
Outfielders: Plenty of Names, Few Fits
The outfield was another area of focus, with several players drawing multiple votes-though many are already off the board.
Mike Yastrzemski was a popular pick, and he ended up signing a two-year, $23 million deal with the Braves. He fits the mold of a reliable veteran who won’t command top dollar but can still contribute at a high level. Think of him as the outfield version of O’Hearn.
Cedric Mullins signed a one-year, $7 million deal with the Rays, and that move could have a ripple effect on the trade market-especially if Tampa Bay decides to shuffle more pieces around. Mullins had been connected to Chicago in speculative circles, but he’s now off the table.
Lane Thomas is also gone, signing a one-year, $5.25 million deal with the Royals as part of their broader outfield overhaul, which now includes Isaac Collins via trade with Milwaukee.
Trent Grisham, another popular name, accepted the Yankees’ qualifying offer and stays put in the Bronx.
Other names that received multiple votes include Austin Hays, Harrison Bader, Rob Refsnyder, Austin Slater, Jarred Kelenic, and Ramon Laureano-the latter staying with the Padres after they exercised his $6.5 million option.
Slater, notably, is still available, but any jokes about him being a “top target” for the Sox are now officially dated-it’s been nearly a month since he first signed with Chicago in a previous offseason.
Among the single-vote outfielders, the list includes some big names and some intriguing upside plays:
- Kyle Schwarber re-upped with the Phillies on a five-year, $150 million deal, exactly double the biggest contract in White Sox history. He’ll mostly DH, but technically played enough outfield to land in this category.
- Cody Bellinger, Jose Siri, Manuel Margot, Max Kepler, Randal Grichuk, Dylan Carlson, Leody Taveras, Franmil Reyes, and Starling Marte round out the group.
Of those, Kepler feels like the most realistic White Sox-type signing if Mike Tauchman doesn’t return, though Tauchman wasn’t included in this exercise due to his status being addressed in the tender/non-tender section.
Catchers: Nothing to See Here
Not a single catcher was suggested in the fan-submitted plans, and honestly, that makes sense. The White Sox already have three big league-caliber catchers on the roster, and Korey Lee is out of options. This is one area where the team has some clarity-at least for now.
Final Thoughts
So far, the White Sox have dipped a toe into the free agent waters with Anthony Kay, but there’s still a long way to go. The fan-submitted offseason plans show a wide range of ideas-from budget-conscious bullpen arms to big-ticket power bats. While many of the more ambitious targets are already off the board, there are still opportunities out there if the Sox want to get aggressive-or at least strategic.
Whether the front office is ready to make that leap remains to be seen. But with so many needs and so much uncertainty, standing still isn’t really an option.