The White Sox pulled off another significant transaction yesterday, acquiring right-handers Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin, two players to be named later, and $8MM in cash (to help cover Hicks’ $24MM salary) for pitching prospect Gage Ziehl and a player to be named later. It is the third notable move in four days for Chicago, after the Pale Hose signed Seranthony Dominguez and Austin Hays to free agent contracts.
Between the $12MM owed to Hicks in 2026, Hays’ $6MM guarantee in a one-year deal, and the $8MM allotted for Dominguez in the first season of his two-year, $20MM contract, it adds up to a $26MM outlay for the White Sox on this trio for the upcoming season. It’s a pretty close match for the $20MM Chicago had committed to Luis Robert Jr. before the outfielder and his contract were dealt to the Mets on January 20.
“With the payroll flexibility that we gained through that move, we wanted to utilize that money toward players that could help us for the long term as we continue to take the next step. There are different avenues to do that,” White Sox GM Chris Getz told reporters (including SoxMachine’s James Fegan and MLB.com’s Scott Merkin), further noting that “adding a Sandlin is essentially part of a Luis Robert return.”
That’s a bit of a eyebrow-raising comment, given that Chicago’s payroll currently sits at a paltry $85.5MM, per RosterResource. To suggest that Sandlin’s acquisition was only possible in conjunction with a Robert trade would imply that the Chicago-based club can’t support a payroll that includes Robert, Dominguez, Hays and Hicks — but that would’ve only pushed the payroll to around $105MM. Perhaps owner Jerry Reinsdorf truly won’t green-light a payroll north of $100MM at present, but the South Siders trotted out a $181MM Opening Day payroll as recently as 2023 (and $193MM in 2022). Getz’s assertion that Sandlin is indirectly part of the Robert return is either a case of some serious spin or an eye-opening acknowledgement of severe budget restrictions put in place by Reinsdorf.
Regardless, it seems that Sandlin has been on Chicago’s radar for a good while now, and Getz views the hard-throwing right-hander as someone who’s “going to come into Spring Training and compete for a spot” in the team’s rotation. Sandlin has only 23 2/3 Triple-A innings to his name, and he struggled to a 7.61 ERA during that brief stint with Triple-A Worcester in 2025. Even if he doesn’t crack the club’s Opening Day rotation, it’s perfectly plausible that he’ll be an option to join the staff later in the season as he gets more experience at the top minor league level.
Beyond this young arm in Sandlin, Hicks brings some experience to the pitching staff, though he’s a pure rebound candidate. The righty posted a 6.95 ERA across 67 1/3 innings with the Giants and Red Sox in 2025, with subpar strikeout (18.5%) and walk (10.2%) rates. Hicks’ 4.41 SIERA also wasn’t great but is a better reflection of his performance, since it factored in some bad batted-ball luck, as the grounder specialist was hurt by a .352 average on balls in play.
Health was also a factor. Hicks spent a little under two months on the injured list dealing with toe inflammation and then tendinitis in his throwing shoulder. On this front, Hicks told media that he has recovered well, and is up to throwing 99.5mph in a recent bullpen session. “My body’s in a great place, probably the best it’s been since 2023,” Hicks said. “I’m fit for whatever role that the team needs me in. I think that I can do very well in both [starting and relieving]. I’m just excited for the opportunity mostly, and ready to get back on the field.”
For now, the White Sox plan to use Hicks as a relief pitcher, Getz stated. This isn’t surprising given how Hicks struggled as a starter with the Giants and was converted back to relief work partway through each of the last two seasons. Hicks has spent the bulk of his career in the ‘pen and had better results as a reliever than as a starter.
Speaking of relief pitchers, the White Sox discussed another reliever during their negotiations with the Red Sox. MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo reports that the two sides “had serious discussions” about including Jordan Leasure in the deal before the Red Sox instead went with Ziehl as the named player in the two-player return.
Whereas Ziehl has yet to reach Triple-A, the 27-year-old Leasure has two seasons of MLB experience, with 101 games for Chicago. Leasure made his debut in 2024 and posted a 6.32 ERA over 31 1/3 innings, but improved on that mark significantly with a 3.92 ERA and 30.1% strikeout rate over 64 1/3 frames in 2025. The right-hander’s 11.2% walk rate was still on the high side, but a step up from Leasure’s 12.7 BB% in 2024.
There’s no real reason to think Chicago is actively shopping Leasure, but it’s of some note that they at least considered it — particularly with how many clubs around the league are looking for affordable bullpen help. Leasure will pitch the bulk of the upcoming season at 27 (28 in mid-August), has a pair of minor league options remaining, and won’t be arbitration-eligible until next offseason, when he’ll likely be a Super Two player.
“The Pale Hose” is wild. Do White Sox fans actually say that?
The only “hose” we care about is the one wielded by Roger Bossard! 🤣
The Sod Father!
The legendary Roger Bossard is also the White Sox most recent HOF’er 🙂 soxon35th.com/white-sox-icon-roger-bossard-inducte…
He might also be their last for awhile.
It’s an appellation used in print for decades
I love it, it’s so ominous
It’s an old, old nickname for the Sox, dating back to the ’40s at least. The fans don’t use it much, but the local press always has. To me, it is redolent of a simpler and, in some ways, better time.
I like Pale Hose a lot better than ChiSox which just seems so lazy and lacks creativity.
I think ChiSox and BoSox is a term used more nationally, especially when discussing both the White Sox and Red Sox in an article. It’s similar to Southsiders and Northsiders being used in discussions regarding the White Sox and Cubs.
Most fans in Chicago and Boston simply refer to their team as the Sox. Pale Hose or even Southsiders is probably used more frequently among Chicago locals than ChiSox.
True. In Chicago it’s either da Sox or da Cubs.
Back when women stayed in the kitchen, right Alan?
Yes, back when the wife asked for a watch for Christmas, I yelled back, there’s a clock on the stove lol
@Sack: No, not at all. I think you would have to be wilfully misunderstanding me to draw an inference like that.
What I meant was, back when colorful nicknames arose organically out of passionate engagement with the game, rather than were the constructions of PR departments.
The use of the term Pale Hose goes back at least as far as Bob Elson calling the games on radio.
Feigned ignorance is prevalent now a days.
Not at all. That’s a old saying, which I’ve heard mostly from “Hawk” Harrelson
My favorite “saying” for them has always been The Good Guys. The good guys wear black.
I haven’t heard them called that since around 1970.
Hawk said it all the time.
Check your math in the second paragraph. 12 + 6 + 8 = 26 not 22.
It looks like they “fixed” it to say $26M, but $22M is more accurate because it takes into account the $8M ($4M/year) that Boston is paying. It should be 12 -4 + 6 + 8 = 22.
Sandlin is very much a reclamation prospect (like Hicks is a BP arm) that hasn’t been impressive in minor leagues. They should’ve walked on taking Hicks off their hands unless it was paid down to 2yrs/10-12 mil (rather than 17)-esp’ly with Ziehl going back. Boston didn’t have any leverage. Here’s hoping Hicks suddenly reverts to STL high leverage quality few years removed.
agree, I am confused that White Sox did not insist on getting more back, they had the leverage to ask for more.
The truth is David Sandlin has a starters pitch mix throws at least 4 pitches maybe five pitches fastball, slider/cutter, sweeper, split, and curveball. He pitched really well in Portland and earned the promotion to AAA. His fastball is a premium fastball with life he throws strikes decently except for in AAA when they tried to move him to the pen. It’s not unusual for pitchers in the minors to go to AAA and struggle with control in the much tighter ABS controlled zone.
The real question about him is can he relieve he struggled without the starters routine seemed to have real trouble with the quicker warmup in the reliever role. I’m not sure you can count him being a reliever but his fastball is premium he pitched well in the starters role including his lone start in AAA. I understood why they moved him to the pen thinking his premium fastball, slider/cutter combo might be deadly out of the pen but it just goes to show you never know how someone will react to a new role. They will start him in AAA and he will probably get a chance with the big club as a starter pretty early in the season especially if can hold his stuff later in the game.
RIght. An old prospect pitching in AA is nothing exciting. Worth a shot though. Hicks was hideous last season but there’s always a shot he bounces back. Can’t really expect to get much else I suppose?
They need to leave Chicago. Their attendance has been so dismal. It’s clear that most of the White Sox fans have switched allegiances and are now actively cheering for and attending games on the North Side.
Maybe if they tried to put a good product on the field they would have fans at the ballpark. Stop with this ridiculous never ending rebuild and try to put something out there people will pay to see.
Attendance is tied to payroll so the longer you sit home and not support your team, the longer it will take. Even with the cheap tickets., food and drink specials, fireworks, and theme nights, you still don’t go and that is why they are where they are. You did this.
Jerry, is that you?
Yes it is. The “they aren’t spending money so I’m not going” is so funny.
Yeah. That will help.
Foppert you always have the strangest takes on everything. You sound like you think everyone is stupid. You always do. You just have to belittle everyone. You can’t ever take a comment for what someone said and just go with it. What’s so hard to understand about putting a decent team on the field and maybe people will come out more to watch? It’s always you and a few others on here that always try to belittle people and act like you know everything.
Yes. Because I think people say stupid sh&t. Like a US citizen complaining about Canada right now. You are obviously still butt hurt about that. I hope you get over it soon.
I commend good stuff all the time. Maybe you just notice those posts because you aren’t a part of them.
Back to the topic. It’s not hard to understand. It’s just a very obvious counterproductive action. Hence the post indicating as much. If you want to indulge in a spending money blinking contest with your team’s ownership, go for your life.
I just happen to think it’s
funny. Is that ok with you ?Are you big enough to deal with that or would you like me to protect your delicate disposition and stop ?
All that over a comment you don’t understand.
Yes. All that.
Ok. Make me understand. I’m listening.
Said the poster with no job
It’s been the story for the White Sox for years. Reinsdorf states he won’t spend unless the fans come out. and fans emphatically show him they’ll come out for a winner so that’s why the Sox are in perpetual limbo. Still Getz has done a credible job with what he had to work with so kudos to him. Maybe it gets(pun) Him a real job somewhere else. They have some nice arms and position talent in the Minors and the #1 pick which should be the SS. Plus some vets with a bit of upside. I might watch. The new announcer stinks. Stone needs somebody to work with.
No they aren’t. Most of us are just waiting for Jerry to complete the sale or die before we go back to the park. I don’t know a single Sox fan that decided to become Cubs fan
Have no fear! The White Sox will be leaving Chicago in the next decade and moving to…Arlington Heights!
Their attendance is dismal because the team has been abysmal for 20 years (outlier 2021 season aside)
When they were a good team in the mid-late 00’s they were in the top 10 in attendance. If they had sustained success then they might have better attendance during the down years. Not every team is the cubs who can draw even when the team is endlessly bad
Probably not. I’d say fans don’t go bc of more violence on southside
Not calling you out specifically but that is the stupidest excuse I’ve heard for why people don’t go to Sox games.
@New Orleans: For starters, it’s “the South Side,” not “southside.”
Second, the supposed violence there is not the reason the Sox’ attendance has been low. The reason is that the team has been bad. As the team gets better, the attendance will rise.
@Slider: Absolutely not so. The divide between Cubs fans and Sox fans is as stark as ever. My guess is Slider is not a local.
Also, the Sox will never leave Chicago. (They might threaten to do so to get a new stadium, but they won’t really mean it.)
Its laughable to say they should be exiled. We Sox fans dont go to the park in droves when the team underperforms. But we don’t go to Wrigley and root for the Cubs instead. There’s no crime in that either, so who you crappin?
RIP Terry Boers
There’s also Jerry expecting fans to pay $20 a month to watch the games on tv. That was launched at the worse point in franchise history 👏.
Tough to expect fans to come out and pay to see a team that had no intention of winning the last few seasons. They are finally making a bit of an effort but while I get a rebuild was in order, they can’t last forever and this is a team that spent much more money than they do now and that’s a disservice to the fans if you keep at it for a long while.
Don’t look now, but there’s a good team coming together here.
There is not. They still suck and filling up with these players adds at most one or two wins. Reinsdorf remains the second worst owner in MLB and he is doing nothing but pocketing extra millions while waiting to die.
If the players suck,then give Teel back to the Red Sox.We will give you more crap.If your team will suck you don’t need the players who will be good.
Shane Smith, all star
He is alright, but let’s be honest. He was only an All Star because every team had to have one. Put him on almost any other team and there is no way he would have made the ASG.
I have honestly been impressed with the way the White Sox have gone about business both this season and last season. They are doing exactly what I wish my Rockies did. They are not being content with being horrible for several years just to collect high draft picks or because it would be hard to compete with everyone else in the division.
Is there any truth to the persistent rumor that they are going to erect a giant billboard with a photo of Rob Schneider that says, “Oh no, we suck again!” in center field?
How the heck did the Sox pass on Suarez at third for 15$mm?
Because besides the raw power, he’s significant crud in every other category. Butcher at third, 250’s. Rh all or nothing power hitters go to Fenway to die. I’m sure they had no interest in him besides a courtesy call. Mayer is far superior at everything but long balls.
250 k’s*
Enjoy, Suarez would not have played third. Had he signed in Boston, it would have been as a DH. Let’s see how the roster shakes out because they still need a true long ball threat. While he’s a lefty, Casas if healthy may win the DH job now (I love Yoshida more than most but if Casas is ready, Yoshida is gone).
Dewey do you think they give Casas some time AAA to ramp up??
Gary, no decisions should be made until spring trading. Does Casas start on time? How does he look swinging the bat, running the bases and playing first (even though Contreras will start) as compared to before his first injury? Is he fully cleared? How he looks, how others are playing and new injuries will dictate what happens to him, Yoshida and others, Some have an option and further trades are likely.
The White Sox/Pale Hose/ChiSox passed on Eugenio Suárez for the same reason they recently DFA’d Bryan Ramos. They have a wealth of intriguing infielders and will add to it with perhaps their best come next July’s Rule 4 Amateur Draft.
Suarez is also best suited to be a DH. The White Sox already have enough options for that role between LF Andrew Benintendi, INF Lenyn Sosa/1B Munetaka Murakami when they’re not in the field or one of Edgar Quero/Kyle Teel when they’re not catching.
The White Sox infield has an abundance of depth with more on the way. Their current biggest logjam might be at DH. Those problems could be partially resolved with more moves before opening day. A Sosa and/or Benintendi trade would help in that regard.
He’s done. He’ll strikeout more than Robert will
If only it were as easy as matching the highest offer a player received. I truly can’t imagine that he would have accepted 15 million from the white sox.
Why go to a bottom feeder team that isn’t even trying to compete when you could instead go to an exciting young team (which you just happen to have a good history with)?
Man, when I said Sox I thought everyone would immediately know it was about the red sox.
No one cares about white Sox moves. They have relegated themselves to the status of minor league teams – they play games I suppose, but who cares.
Interesting take Saj. Nice pointless comment. The only reason I care about this thread is because of the White Sox. While I assumed your comment was in reference to the Red Sox, it seems the error would be yours considering this thread is titled “White Sox Notes.” So, to act incredulous because you couldn’t bother to type a three letter color is pretty ridiculous.
Isn’t the payroll near 90M. Austin Hays plus part of Hicks salary equals 14M equals 91M?
Poverty franchise
Maybe the White Sox could allow Jordan Hicks to be a starter?
Nah-Let Hicks go back to getting 3 outs in the 7th/8th or 9th when he was best as situation dictates. If he regains form, plenty of teams will want 1.5yrs of him near the deadline or WSox even keep him if the ALC standings are such a hot mess they are in it (long shot).
i love that even MLB trade rumors is critical of jerry reinsdorf pretending he can only have a shoestring budget.
Seems like JR puts in a ghost cap.
No Mark, he just means that Sandlin should be considered part of the return from the Roberts trade, that’s all. I don’t think his comment had to do with money. He just means that indirectly Sandlin was acquired because they were able to pay all of the Hicks contract.
Hicks is a “bounce back candidate”. Thanks for starting my day off with a belly laugh!
Seems like a Red Sox pitchers have been on the White Sox radar they took Drohan in the Rule 5 and now out of the blue they took Paez.
I’m not saying that I am a believer in Hicks, but relievers are notably up and down year to year, and more than that, theres almost no way he could get worse. In addition, he could get a chance to start in spring training and see where that goes if thats what they decide.
Overall, getting Sandlin as well, not a bad small money investment with the possibility for a flip too
Chicago is the second largest SMSA in America. $85 million is a disgrace.
Shocked that the Sox would have considered Leasure.
He was exceptional down the stretch including a 24 g run from July 28th thru Sept 23 where he threw 25 innings, gave up 14 total baserunners (7 h, 7 bb) and k’d 32.
5 holds and 5 saves, so high leverage too.
Hope this was just a homer Red Sox reporter being hopeful.
Sox never considered sending Leasure. Getz had to pretend he was just to rob BoSox some more. If ChiSox so bad why R.Sox always call W,Sox for players.
The Red Sox always call the Cardinals for players. Not the White Sox.
Your tendency to avoid the truth is tiresome.
By the way, for those playing at home, Chris sale from the White Sox to the Red Sox was a transaction that happened in 2016. That’s 10 years ago.
There has been about 10 transactions between the teams since.
Oh really YEP.., where the “Red Sox always call the White Sox for players?”
I’m just saying. The 2 teams do a lot of business.
I looked online, couldn’t find any except for one Chris Murphy trade.
Well I don’t know what to tell you but Red Sox work with White Sox a lot more then Red Sox and Cardinals do.
Ok
Calling Garrett Crochet
To be fair to Gary. The Murphy move is the last official move until this last trade is official.
The White Sox are trying to catch lightning in a bottle. Seems impossible but it may be electrifying to watch. I hope they pull something off and their fans get some desperately needed hope.
Why were R.Sox calling Getz for to get Teel back. That trade will go down in history as most lopsided trade ever when all is said and done. I’d hate to see it but Crochet will go down again for TJS again.
Doubtful looks like a potential win win trade. Crochet was one of the best pitchers in baseball and the Red Sox would have missed the post season again last year. Getting to the post this year might mean Crochet, Suarez, and Gray in a best of 5. The Red Sox gave up a lot for Crochet but they should, he looks like a true tor ace starter and those don’t come cheap.
You don’t “hate to see it.”
You’ve been here trashing the Red Sox for two days.
You’re calling the crochet to Red Sox trade the negatively most lopsided trade in history, while Garrett has already become a Cy Young award candidate for Boston.
And no, the Giants aren’t getting “Rafeal Devers for free.” They’re paying about $250 million for him so that’s not quite free.
@SaintsFan
I can see why you’d be interested in being an I.C.E officer. Your grammar and comprehension checks out.
Sox should trade for Marlins Javier Sanoja
Why?
He can walk, doesn’t strikeout, hits for average, hits lots of doubles, and has speed. This guy is a ballplayer!
He had as many strikeouts as walks and doubles combined last year. .240 avg. only 6 stolen bases in 11 attempts. Defensively sure why not. I wouldn’t go overboard to get him.
If the Marlins jump out fast from the gate I would work hard to get Sanoja. Marlins don’t play him every day either so it will be an excellent move if we can get him early enough fire he shows his consistent great talent.
Who are you trading?
I know nothing about pitching so I’m not sure about pitchers but as far as batter I would trade Austin Hays and Lenyn Sosa.
I don’t see Hays being traded until July at the earliest. Sosa might be the most likely trade candidate on the team. He just put together his best season and might not even have a spot in the everyday lineup. Him or Vargas. Montgomery is untouchable and I would take Meidroth over Sosa. That leaves you with Mune, Meidroth, Montgomery, and Vargas around the infield. Quero and Teel as the C/DH spot and I like having Lee on the bench.
“significant”
It’s easy to see that the majority of those commenting have no clue.
Jimmy, what’s your take on the situation. Write it out so we can say the “majority plus one.”
Jordan Hicks, Grant Taylor, Jordan Leasure, and Seranthony Dominguez being in some form of 6-9 inning role could be cool to watch but that’s a lot of right arms. Add in Mike Vasil and the 2 arms they pick in in the rule 5 draft all they have in right arms in the bullpen. Potential you will have to use Hicks in the rotation and Sean Newcomb in the pen right?
That’s a low-key solid bullpen on paper. Your right that Jordan Hicks might also start too.
I agree, I’m just kinda worried that teams can load up the lineup for the bullpen if all the arms are the same. Hicks is the only one with real starter time. Taylor has been an opener for an inning or 2 but that’s it.