The White Sox’s offseason blueprint starts where the cracks were most obvious: the pitching staff.
That’s the clear through line in this plan. The young offensive core is enough of a reason to spend, but the money should go toward arms first. There are holes to fill on the lineup side, sure, yet the priority is getting the pitching staff to a place where it can actually carry weight.
Some of the internal decisions are blunt. Bart did not work, so the recommendation is to cut bait.
Leasure also did not work, and there’s no real sign he’s headed toward a useful role on a club trying to compete. Murphy had moments, though, and a minor league deal as depth is still on the table.
Two other pending free agents fit as practical re-signs. Newcomb, projected at one year and $6 million, is viewed as a valuable bullpen piece after giving the club steady innings in a relief group that lacked much proven experience. Grichuk, at one year and $3 million, is described as extremely valuable on a young roster and especially important because consistent right-handed hitting is so hard to find.
The biggest swing on the pitching side is Casey Mize, projected at three years and $50 million. The idea here is straightforward: address the rotation hole with a potential front-line arm, even if the price could climb closer to $55/60 million.
Given the rough stretch he had in San Diego, there may be some savings baked in. If he settles in as SP2 or SP3, that still counts as a major upgrade.
Paired with Burke, Haagen Smith, and potentially Grant Taylor, the rotation starts to look a lot more interesting. It also gives the Sox flexibility with Castillo, Martin, Schultz, and Kay, who all can fill roles without needing to be locked into the rotation.
Another major pitching target is David Bednar, projected at three years and $40 million. If Grant Taylor moves into the rotation, the back end of the bullpen needs real reinforcement, and Bednar brings exactly that.
He’s been one of the sport’s best for years, and the appeal is obvious: instant credibility, experience, and production for a bullpen that needs veteran presence. If the Sox can pry him away from New York, it becomes a huge addition and gives them more room to use Taylor where he should be by 2027.
Zac Gallen is the other big name on the list, and the appeal is all about the gamble. At one year and $13 million, this would be a prove-it deal after several rough seasons for a pitcher who was once among the sport’s elite.
In this plan, he fits as a back-end starter with the upside to become the best arm in the rotation. He also serves as the reason not to bring back Erick Fedde.
The logic is simple: take the shot on a former All-Star caliber pitcher at a cheaper price instead of settling for a rotation placeholder. The Sox have already shown they’ll take chances on pitchers needing to reestablish themselves, with Kay, Fedde, and Castillo all part of that pattern.
If Gallen hits, the rotation ceiling jumps fast. If he doesn’t, the team can move on.
There’s also a trade for a lineup jolt: Andrew Benintendi, William Bergolla, and Christian Oppor to the Boston Red Sox for Jarren Duran. Benintendi is described as a sore thumb on the current roster, while Duran’s time in Boston is nearing its end.
The Red Sox get a familiar name back, and the White Sox get a player who may benefit from a change of scenery and raise both the floor and ceiling of the lineup. That deal also clears the way for Antonacci to settle into the kind of role he’s supposed to have - an everyday utility player who can move around the diamond instead of being forced into left field every day.
The second trade sends Bryan Hudson to the St. Louis Cardinals for left-hander Zack Thompson and right-hander Rafeli Moronta.
Hudson filled a role this year, but that spot is expected to be overtaken by Anthony Kay and Noah Schultz as they take on larger bullpen responsibilities. In return, the Sox would be taking a buy-low shot on Thompson, who has major league innings but has been hampered by injuries, plus a 17-year-old who struck out 35 in 25 innings in his first pro season.
All of that pushes the payroll above budget and into the neighborhood of $145 million. Even then, this is still not a high-spending roster by league standards, and it would remain in the bottom third of the sport in total spending. The bigger point is that the floor rises while the club keeps enough prospect capital to keep chasing if it finds itself in World Series contention mode by July.
One final wrinkle is Bonemer. If the White Sox believe he’s ready, Grichuk may no longer be necessary, and that opens the bench spot for Acuña. If Bonemer still needs time, then Grichuk becomes the obvious move to keep right-handed power in the lineup.
The projected group would look like this: Burke, Mize, Taylor, Smith, and Gallen in the rotation; Bednar, Hicks, Newcomb, Kay, Schultz, Brazoban, Castillo, and Martin in the bullpen mix; Antonacci at UTIL/DH; Teel at catcher; Murakami at first; Vargas at third; Montgomery in right; Duran in left; Meidroth at second; Montgomery at short; Peters/Doyle in center; Grichuk, Peters/Doyle, Quero, and Bonemer/Acuña on the bench.
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