The offseason blueprint starts with a clear message: spend, but don’t get reckless. The plan sets the ceiling at $165 million, with the idea that the club can finally lean into a young, inexpensive core after previous spending sprees that reached around $180 million.
The list of arbitration-eligible players is short and pretty straightforward. Miguel Vargas gets the obvious nod.
Doyle is valued for being a sneaky good bat against lefties, plus speed, defense, and clubhouse presence, all at a low cost. Joey Bart comes next because, as the plan puts it, “Anything is better than Quero, Romo, or Lee.
About as cheap as they come.” Brazoban is considered worth keeping after being very good in New York, with the added benefit that he is cheap enough to move on from if he struggles again.
Murphy is described as young, cheap, and armed with major league stuff, even if the numbers have not caught up yet, which also makes him trade fodder.
Sean Newcomb is the lone impending free agent mentioned, and the plan wants him back after a strong year. The proposed deal is 2 years, $20 million, with $8 million in the first year and $12 million in the second.
From there, the free-agent shopping list gets ambitious. Randy Arozerana is projected at 6 years and $180 million, with $20 million in the first season and $32 million in each of the remaining years.
Luis Arriez is targeted on a 2-year, $45 million deal, with $20 million this season and a player opt out after 2027; the remaining $25 million would be for 2028 if he stays. Tyrone Taylor would get 3 years and $24 million, evenly divided.
Sany Alcantara is set at 3 years and $63 million. Adrian Morejon would come in on a 4-year, $60 million pact.
A.J. Puk is listed at 2 years and $4 million, while Rasiel Iglesias would sign for 1 year and $15 million with a $7.5 million player option.
The trade section is just as aggressive. In one deal, the White Sox would acquire Ryan Weathers, while the Yankees would land Colson Montgomery, Andrew Bennintendi, Luis Castillo, Davis Martin, and $20 million in cash. Another swap sends Johanfran Garcia and Hayden Mullins to the Red Sox in exchange for anthony Kay, Chris Murphy, and Huascar Brazobahn.
If it all came together, the lineup would look dramatically different. Sam Antonacci is at shortstop, Vargas at third, Kyle Teel behind the plate, Arozarana in left, Munetake Murakami at first, Chase Meidroth at second, Tristan Peters in center, Tyrone Taylor in right, and Arriez at designated hitter. The order can be shuffled, but the main point is the same: the defense would be “really strong.”
The bench would be built around Luisangel Acuna as a pinch-runner and switch-hitting utility option who can handle shortstop, probably second base too, and even the outfield in a pinch. Brooks Baldwin would fill in anywhere when someone needs a day off and is described as “Just a dog.” Brenton Doyle would start against every lefty, no questions asked, and Joey Bart would catch about once a week when Teel needs a breather.
The rotation would feature Sean Burke, Sandy Alacantra, Ryan Weathers, Adrian Morejon, and Hagen Smith. The bullpen would include Grant Taylor, Raisel Iglesias, Sean Newcomb, Bryan Hudson, Jordan Hicks, AJ Puk, Drew Thorpe, and David Sandlin.
There is flexibility there too: Hagen Smith or Morejon could move to the bullpen, and Drew Thorpe, David Sandlin, or Grant Taylor could move into the rotation if needed. Adding Iglesias would take some pressure off Grant Taylor in the late innings.
The overall read on the staff is simple: the rotation would be a major upgrade, and the plan is built around making sure nothing can be worse than “Sean Burke and friends.” Vasil is also penciled in as a bullpen plug-in once he is ready, for whoever ends up struggling.
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Jim Bowdens projection of Peralta landing a five-year deal only adds to the intrigue around where the market might take him. For the White Sox, the bigger question is not just whether they like Peralta, but whether they are ready to make that kind of commitment to a starter in free agency, or whether they decide their best move comes from another name on the market or a trade instead. [Read more 🡒]