White Sox Decline Option On Geovany Soto
The White Sox announced that they’ve declined a club option over veteran catcher Geovany Soto. Details of Soto’s option weren’t previously known, but Dan Hayes of NBC Sports Chicago tweets that it was a $3.5MM club option with a $250K buyout. The decision to opt for the buyout is hardly surprising; the 34-year-old Soto received just 48 plate appearances in 2017 and missed the bulk of the season due to elbow surgery.
Soto will turn 35 in January and hasn’t received more than 210 plate appearances in any single season since 2012. The former NL Rookie of the Year (2008, Cubs) is a lifetime .245/.330/.435 hitter with 108 homers in 2876 plate appearances. between the Cubs, White Sox, Rangers, A’s and Angels. He’s had two stints with the White Sox now, and given their organizational needs, it seems plausible that the two sides could yet agree to a new minor league contract for the 2018 campaign. If not, he’ll likely command interest on a minor league deal and could look to latch on somewhere as a depth option or in a competition for a backup role next season.
Central Notes: Morneau, Lenik, Bell
Veteran first baseman Justin Morneau isn’t calling it quits yet, officially, but it sounds as if he has largely accepted that he likely won’t suit up again in the majors. In the course of a great chat on the podcast of Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca (audio link), Morneau says it seemed at points last spring and even into the season that he might have a shot at joining an organization. Ultimately, though, things simply “didn’t line up” for the 36-year-old, who says he wasn’t really “willing to go down to Triple-A and ride the bus” at this stage, given his family obligations. A 14-year MLB veteran, Morneau long starred with the Twins and played most recently with the White Sox. Though he showed in 2016 that he can still hit major league pitching, he acknowledges that it “doesn’t look like there’s a lot of opportunities” out there for the coming season. (That’s a topic that’s covered further in the podcast, which is well worth a listen.)
Here are some notes from the central divisions:
- The Royals face a variety of challenges this winter, with a need to bolster the bullpen likely among them. But the team does have an intriguing option on hand in indy ball find Kevin Lenik, writes Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com. The 26-year-old is showing a big fastball and generated strong results upon reaching Triple-A, where he pitched to a 1.88 ERA with 24 strikeouts and eight walks over 24 frames in a dozen outings. Assistant GM J.J. Picollo suggests it’s likely (albeit still undecided) that Lenik will receive an invitation to MLB camp.
- Buddy Bell has left the White Sox front office to join that of the Reds, as Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune reports. Bell had served as an assistant GM in Chicago and will now function as a senior advisor to top Reds baseball decisionmaker Dick Williams. A long-time big leaguer and former MLB skipper, Bell drew kind words from White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf on his way out the door. As Kuc notes, Bell has roots in Cincinnati and figures to make for a valuable addition to the organization’s front office.
NL Central Notes: Bell, Anderson, Brewers, Ross
The Reds have hired Buddy Bell for a senior advisor position in their front office, MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reports (Twitter link). The team is expected to officially announce Bell’s hiring tomorrow. Bell, who managed the Tigers, Rockies and Royals from 1996-2007, has been working in the White Sox front office for the last decade, most recently acting as Chicago’s assistant GM. This will be Bell’s second stint in Cincinnati, as he played for the Reds from 1985-88 during his 18-year career in the big leagues. The Bell family has long-standing ties in Cincinnati — Gus Bell (Buddy’s father) spent eight seasons with the Reds and is in the team’s Hall of Fame, while Buddy’s sons Mike and David also spent time with the Reds as a player and minor league manager, respectively.
Here’s more from around the NL Central…
- Chase Anderson discussed his contract extension in a conference call with reporters (including Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), noting that he was eager to put pen to paper after solidly establishing himself as a quality starter. “Going into last season, I wasn’t sure I’d be in the rotation. But it showed me what I really could do and opened up different windows for me,” Anderson said. “I always wanted a multi-year contract once I got into this position. When the team offers you an extension and it’s guaranteed money, it’s hard to turn it down.” While he had three arbitration-eligible years remaining as a Super Two player, Anderson also turns 30 in November, so one can’t fault him for wanting to lock in a big payday. The righty will earn at least $11.75MM from the contract’s two guaranteed years, and he could an addditional $29.25MM in 2020-21 should the Brewers exercise their two club options.
- From that same conference call, Brewers GM David Stearns said the team is in discussions with some other players about multi-year contracts. Stearns didn’t cite any names, though arbitration-eligible closer Corey Knebel seems like a logical candidate, as do pre-arb building blocks like Domingo Santana or Travis Shaw.
- Now that Dave Martinez has been hired as the Nationals’ new manager, David Ross seems like a logical candidate to step into Martinez’s old role as the Cubs‘ bench coach. Two sources tell NBCSports.com’s Patrick Mooney, however, that it could be difficult for Ross to commit to the season-long job, given his family commitments and various off-the-field endeavors. Ross is so widely respected around the game that he “can pretty much write his own job description” whenever he wants to dive back into a full-time baseball job. Mooney suggests that Cubs first base coach Brandon Hyde could be an internal candidate for the bench coach position.
Central Notes: Twins, Cubs, Tilson, Royals
Carl Willis’ name has been oft-mentioned in the Twins‘ search for a new pitching coach, tweets FanRag’s Jon Heyman. The 56-year-old Willis has held that same position with the Red Sox since the 2015 campaign, but Boston’s coaching staff under now-former manager John Farrell was given the opportunity to explore opportunities with other teams. Willis is no stranger to the Twins organization, as he spent five seasons pitching for Minnesota in the early 90s and enjoyed a career year with the World Champion ’91 Twins. Heyman also notes that the Twins have interviewed former Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey, but Hickey’s ties to Cubs skipper Joe Maddon are strong. The Cubs also have a pitching coach vacancy after dismissing Chris Bosio following their exit from the NLCS.
More from baseball’s Central divisions…
- Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein recently spoke about the team’s 2018 rotation and acknowledged a need, writes CSN Chicago’s Patrick Mooney. Epstein characterized left-hander Mike Montgomery as someone who will likely stretch out as a starter in Spring Training but “probably start the year in the bullpen” barring spring injuries. “And then at the end of the regular season, when you look up, he’ll have somewhere between 10 and 20 starts. And you’ll say: ‘Wow, Mike Montgomery was really valuable this year,'” said Epstein. As for splurging on the free-agent market, Epstein was non-committal when discussing a pursuit of Yu Darvish or a reunion with Jake Arrieta. “…I wouldn’t rule it out completely, and I wouldn’t rule it in,” said Epstein of pursuing a high-priced free-agent pitcher. “I would just say it’s not our preferred method.”
- Ankle surgery has not yet been firmly ruled out for White Sox center fielder Charlie Tilson, writes Scot Gregor for Baseball America (subscription required and recommended). Tilson has been beset by injuries since being acquired from the Cardinals in exchange for Zach Duke in a 2016 deadline deal. He tore his hamstring in his MLB debut with the ChiSox in Aug. 2016, and he missed the 2017 campaign after suffering an offseason stress fracture in his right foot and a broken right ankle in June. Tilson was at last able to play in the instructional league this month, and he tells Gregor that those games were a “test” for the health of his right foot. “There’s always surgical possibilities, but I’m just trying to take it a day at a time and keep doing the things that are working for me,” said Tilson. He’ll have some new competition next spring, as Adam Engel and Leury Garcia will be in Chicago’s center field mix as well.
- The Royals have been discussing contingency plans for the potential departure of Eric Hosmer and/or Mike Moustakas, writes MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan. One possibility is for prospect Hunter Dozier to slide across the diamond from third base to first base, with Cheslor Cuthbert manning the hot corner. Dozier has seen occasional time at first base in recent seasons and could see some additional time there playing winter ball in Mexico, though assistant GM J.J. Picollo tells Flanagan that Dozier’s goal in winter ball is just to get as many at-bats as possible regardless of position. If Hosmer and Moustakas do depart, it’s also possible that Cuthbert could play first next year with Dozier playing his natural third base, says Picollo, calling it “a matter of how we line up best defensively.”
Elected Free Agency: Siegrist, Edgin, Hutchison, Locke, Bolsinger, Van Slyke, Maness
The indispensable Matt Eddy of Baseball America provides an overview of a vast number of players electing free agency following the 2017 season in his latest Minor Transactions roundup. Eddy largely focuses on players with big league service time (significant service time, in some cases) that were outrighted off the roster that are now hitting the open market for the first time. (Players with three-plus years of service that are not on the 40-man roster at season’s end can elect free agency, as can any player that has been outrighted on multiple occasions in his career.)
While the vast majority of these players seem likely to sign minor league pacts this winter — they did, after all, go unclaimed by 29 other teams on waivers — a number of them are still intriguing with recent success in their past and/or multiple years of arbitration eligibility remaining. Eddy’s rundown also contains a number of re-signed minor leaguers and released minor leaguers without big league experience as well as Arizona Fall League assignments on a per-team basis, so it’s well worth a full look.
We’ve updated our list of 2017-18 MLB free agents accordingly, and here are some of the new names now checking in on the list…
Depth options in the rotation
Josh Collmenter, Asher Wojciechowski, Drew Hutchison, Jeff Locke, Kyle Kendrick, Mike Bolsinger, Christian Bergman, David Holmberg
Collmenter is just two seasons removed from being the D-backs Opening Day starter but hasn’t had much success of late. Hutchison had solid Triple-A numbers and once looked like a long-term rotation piece in Toronto before Tommy John surgery. He can be controlled for another three seasons in arbitration. Locke was injured for most of an ugly first (and likely only) season in Miami, and Kendrick made just two starts for the Red Sox.
Wojciechowski (6.50 ERA in 62 1/3 innings with the Reds), Bolsinger (6.31 ERA in 41 1/3 innings with the Jays), Bergman (5.00 ERA in 54 innings with the Mariners) and Holmberg (4.68 ERA in 57 2/3 innings with the White Sox) all soaked up innings for injury-plagued pitching staffs. Bolsinger has had the most MLB experience of the bunch.
Corner Bats
Scott Van Slyke, Tyler Moore, Cody Asche, Conor Gillaspie, Jaff Decker
Van Slyke has long been a solid bat against left-handed pitching but appeared in just 29 games with the Dodgers and didn’t hit well with their Triple-A affiliate or with the Reds’ Triple-A affiliate. (He was included in the Tony Cingrani trade to balance out the financial side of the deal.) Moore, also a right-handed bat, showed power but struggled to get on base.
Once one of the Phillies’ top prospects, Asche hit well in Triple-A Charlotte but flopped in a brief stint with the ChiSox. Gillaspie was unable to replicate his 2016 rebound with the Giants, while Decker showed some on-base skills in the Majors and minors but didn’t hit much overall. (He can play center but hasn’t graded well there in the Majors.)
Utility Infielders
Ruben Tejada, Phil Gosselin, Dusty Coleman, Chase d’Arnaud
Each of the four can play all over the diamond, but none provided offensive value in 2017. Tejada has the most big league experience but hasn’t received much playing time since 2015 (and hasn’t performed well when he has gotten opportunities). Gosselin has a solid defensive reputation but a light bat through 551 MLB PAs. Coleman hit four homers in 71 PAs in his MLB debut this year but logged a .268 OBP. d’Arnaud saw his fair share of 2016 action with the Braves but has never produced much at the plate.
Bullpen options
Kevin Siegrist (L), Josh Edgin (L), Seth Maness, Kevin Quackenbush
Siegrist and Edgin are intriguing names for clubs in need of left-handed bullpen help. Both have recent success on their track records, though Edgin wasn’t as sharp in 2017 as he was prior to 2015 Tommy John surgery. Siegrist’s control eroded in 2017 as he missed time due to a back/spinal injury and tendinitis in his left forearm, but he was one of the Cardinals’ top setup options in both 2015 and 2016. Both lefties are controllable through 2019.
Maness drew headlines for returning from a torn UCL in roughly seven months thanks to an experimental new “primary repair” procedure, but while he stayed healthy in 2017, the results weren’t great in the Majors and especially not in Triple-A (6.13 ERA in 47 innings). Quackenbush was excellent as a rookie in 2014 and solid in 2015-16 before imploding in 2017 (7.86 ERA in 26 1/3 innings). He was better but not great in Triple-A (3.90 ERA, 7.8 K/9, 2.9 BB/9). Maness could be controlled through 2019, while Quackenbush would have three more years of control.
Jake Petricka Undergoes Elbow Surgery
White Sox righty Jake Petricka underwent a nerve transposition and flexor tendon debridement in his right elbow, Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune writes. He’ll require about three to four months of rest and rehab before he’ll be able to resume throwing.
Petricka, 29, compiled 26 strikeouts against just six walks in his 25 2/3 innings of action this year, though he also coughed up twenty earned runs on 39 hits while battling through elbow issues. That wasn’t quite the year he hoped for after missing much of 2016 following hip surgery.
The South Siders paid Petricka $900K in 2017 and project to owe him about $1.1MM for the season to come. That’s not a lot of scratch for a pitcher that turned in 144 1/3 frames of 3.24 ERA ball through his first three seasons in the majors, though it remains to be seen whether the Sox will want to promise a 40-man spot to Petricka — particularly if there’s any concern as to how he’ll bounce back from the surgery.
Whether or not Petricka is retained, the organization will be in need of quite a lot of bullpen depth after dealing away multiple veterans over the course of the 2017 campaign. Just how much payroll the organization intends to commit in what’s sure to be a losing season isn’t yet known, but it’s a good bet that the team will bring in a handful or two of experienced hurlers to battle for roster spots in camp — while also keeping an eye out for waiver claim and Rule 5 opportunities.
AL Central Notes: Twins, Manuel, Royals, ChiSox
The Twins have hired longtime Baseball America editor John Manuel and added him to their pro scouting department, Manuel announced yesterday (on Facebook). The Twins later confirmed the hiring, as MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger writes. Chief baseball officer Derek Falvey suggests to Bollinger that the team has no intention of cutting its scouting department despite a notably increased emphasis on analytics. “We’ve talked a lot about staff enhancement and continuing to build out,” said Falvey. “We’ll do that with different voices with advances in video scouting and live scouting. We have a good number of pro scouts, but we’re looking to add to it. It’s not our expectation to have fewer people in the field.”
Manuel has spent more than two decades at BA and has been the publication’s editor-in-chief for more than half that time. As someone who owns a mountain of BA Prospect Handbooks and has had an active BA subscription for a decade or so now, I can earnestly say that his work will be missed. Congrats to John, and best wishes in his new role with the Twins.
A few more notes out of the AL Central…
- Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star welcomed former Royals beat writer Bob Dutton onto his podcast this week, and the two discussed a wide variety of topics, including several looks back to the Royals of the early 2000s. Royals fans will want to check out the entire podcast, but the portion that takes a retrospective look at some historic Royals trades undoubtedly will have a broader appeal to all baseball fans. Dutton recalls details of the trades of Royals stars Carlos Beltran, Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye and provides an inside look at each of those deals. Perhaps most notably, he recounts the story of Beltran, with whom the Royals had reached a tentative agreement on a three-year deal that never came to fruition after it was presented to ownership. That spring, the Royals and Rangers were discussing a swap of Beltran for Michael Young and Hank Blalock when Beltran suffered an oblique injury, per Dutton. It’s a fascinating look back in transaction history, and I’d recommend a full listen to any who read this. This also makes for an appropriate place to wish Dutton the best in his retirement from the beat; Dutton provided outstanding coverage of the Royals for years before joining the Mariners’ beat with the Tacoma News Tribune earlier this decade. I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting him in person but have admired his excellent work for years. Best wishes to Bob from those of us at MLBTR.
- White Sox director of amateur scouting Nick Hostetler was a guest host for a pair of White Sox Inbox columns at MLB.com, during which he answered a slew of questions on player evaluation, a day in the life of a scouting director, amateur draft philosophies and the upcoming Rule 5 Draft in December. Hostetler states that he has full confidence in Tim Anderson‘s ability to develop into a plus defender at shortstop and also talked about top prospect Zack Collins‘ improvements both at the plate and behind the plate as a catcher. Hostetler also notes that GM Rick Hahn and assistant GM Jeremy Haber are constantly working to maintain roster flexibility should a strong opportunity present itself in the Rule 5 Draft.
Daniel Webb Dies In ATV Accident
Former White Sox pitcher Daniel Webb passed away due to an ATV accident last night, according to a report from wpsdlocal6.com. Chris Davis, Sheriff of Humphreys County, confirmed the news via telephone.
The Blue Jays selected Webb in the 18th round of the 2009 June amateur draft, but the Kentucky native spent most of his career in the White Sox organization. During his time at the MLB level, he compiled 110 relief innings at the major league level, including 67 2/3 innings in 2014 with a 3.99 ERA. Webb showed promise with a fastball that averaged 96 MPH, but hadn’t pitched since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2016.
The White Sox issued the following statement in the wake of the 28-year old’s passing.
“Daniel left many friends within the Chicago White Sox organization, and we are all shocked and stunned by the news of last night’s terrible accident. He was a terrific young man with a full life ahead of him. All thoughts and prayers go to his family and friends as they deal with today’s tragic news.”
MLBTR sends its condolences to Webb’s family and friends during this difficult time.
AL Central Notes: Indians, Twins, Delmonico
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that with the Indians‘ season now over after a stunning Yankees comeback, the Cleveland front office now faces the daunting task of determining which players they’ll retain for the 2018 season (and beyond, in some cases). The Indians hold an $11MM club option over oft-injured but supremely talented left fielder Michael Brantley, as well as a $3MM option over right-hander Josh Tomlin. Beyond that, Cleveland will have to gauge whether a middle ground can be found when negotiating possible deals to retain Carlos Santana, Jay Bruce, Bryan Shaw, Austin Jackson and Joe Smith each of whom will be a free agent when the World Series ends. Hoynes spoke to Brantley, Bruce, Santana, Shaw and Tomlin about the possibility of returning, and each unsurprisingly expressed a resounding desire to return. “I started a quest back in 2009,” said Brantley of his debut year in Cleveland. “I want to finish the right way. I don’t want to go out like this if it’s my choice. It’s not.”
A bit more from the AL Central…
- Twins owner Jim Pohlad tells Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that while there have yet to be any talks of long-term deals for young talents such as Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano or Eddie Rosario, those topics could come up in the near future. “I’d be looking forward to that conversation,” said Pohlad, who generally praised his team’s emerging core. Pohlad also suggested that while Brian Dozier was the focus of trade rumors last offseason and is entering the final season of his contract, it’d be tough to consider trading him this winter. “You would have to believe you’re getting a future core player back,” said Pohlad, going on to stress that it’d need to be a player (or players) that could help the Twins immediately.
- White Sox left fielder/designated hitter Nicky Delmonico will be shut down from offseason activity for up to four weeks due to inflammation and discomfort in his shoulder, the team announced this week. It’s a seemingly innocuous update for the time being, though the situation is worth at least monitoring. Delmonico, once a well-regarded prospect with the Orioles and Brewers, put himself back on the radar in 2017 with a big season in Triple-A and a .262/.373/.482 batting line with nine homers in 166 plate appearances in Chicago this season. If he’s healthy in 2018, he’s likely to play on a near-everyday basis between left field, first base and designated hitter, as the Sox hope to have uncovered a hidden gem.
Offseason Outlook: Chicago White Sox
MLBTR is publishing Offseason Outlooks for all 30 teams. Click here for the other entries in this series.
The 2016 Winter Meetings marked the beginning of a new White Sox strategy: a total rebuild. Gone are Chris Sale, Adam Eaton, Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle, Anthony Swarzak, Dan Jennings, Melky Cabrera, and Miguel Gonzalez. The 2017 team played to their low expectations, but the club’s record was an afterthought as the White Sox continued acquiring top-shelf young talent throughout the season. In terms of trades, most of the heavy lifting has been done as we head into the offseason.
Guaranteed Contracts
- James Shields, SP: White Sox responsible for $10MM in 2018 salary as well as $2MM buyout on 2019 option.
- Nate Jones, RP: $5.2MM through 2018. Includes club options for 2019-21.
- Tim Anderson, SS: $24.15MM through 2022. Includes club options for 2023-24.
Arbitration Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projections via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
- Al Alburquerque (5.030) – $1.1MM projected salary
- Avisail Garcia (4.167) – $6.7MM
- Zach Putnam (4.135) – $1.4MM
- Jake Petricka (4.044) – $1.1MM
- Jose Abreu (4.000) – $17.9MM
- Danny Farquhar (3.136) – $1.5MM
- Leury Garcia (3.025) – $1.2MM
- Carlos Rodon (2.168) – $2.0MM
- Yolmer Sanchez (2.134) – $2.1MM
- Non-tender candidates: Alburquerque, Putnam, Petricka, Farquhar
Free Agents
[Chicago White Sox Depth Chart; Chicago White Sox Payroll Information]
GM Rick Hahn has executed his plan perfectly so far. The White Sox were able to give fans a glimpse of the future as Yoan Moncada, Lucas Giolito, and Reynaldo Lopez made their team debuts this summer. They’ve got six of the game’s top 100 prospects waiting in the wings with Eloy Jimenez, Michael Kopech, Luis Robert, Blake Rutherford, Dylan Cease, and Alec Hansen. Zack Collins, Dane Dunning, and Carson Fulmer follow on their top prospect list. And don’t forget about Tim Anderson and Carlos Rodon, who have already experienced big league success even if they struggled in 2017. As the rebuild enters its second offseason, what’s left to do on the transaction side?
The White Sox still have two marketable veterans: Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia. Both were bright spots on a 2017 club that lost 95 games. Abreu, 31 in January, experienced a power resurgence on his way to becoming one of the five best-hitting first basemen in the game this year. The White Sox control him through 2019 as an arbitration eligible player, and MLBTR projects a salary close to $18MM just for 2018. His price tag could be in the $40MM range for 2018-19.
Abreu’s rising salary is not a problem for the Sox, who have next to nothing on the books. If the White Sox entertain trades for Abreu, his salary could take smaller payroll teams out of the mix. Still, he arguably could be the best hitter on the market aside from J.D. Martinez and will require a much smaller financial commitment than Martinez or fellow first baseman Eric Hosmer. Abreu also brings reliability that is unmatched by 2017 breakouts like Logan Morrison or Yonder Alonso.
Hahn will likely treat Abreu as he did Jose Quintana last winter: set a price, listen to offers, and hold him if those offers fall short. Penciling Abreu into the third spot in the order for the 2018 White Sox would likely please fans. An extension would be pushing too far, however, as Abreu is unlikely to provide surplus value in his age-33 season and beyond.
Right fielder Avisail Garcia is also controlled for two more seasons through arbitration. He presents a different calculus following a surprising season in which he hit .330/.380/.506. Garcia, 27 in June, should be in the prime of his career. He’s also less proven than Abreu, having shown a subpar bat until 2017.
We project Garcia to earn $6.7MM in 2018, so he could be a bargain even though no one expects him to manage a .392 batting average on balls in play again. South Side Sox notes that Garcia’s expected weighted on-base average (found using Statcast data) suggests his new level is that of a well above-average player. Extending Garcia before he proves himself further could result in a discount for the White Sox, if the player is willing. If the numbers don’t add up for Hahn, Garcia becomes a trade candidate.
Trade chips aside, the White Sox must field a Major League team in 2018. While the 2017 season was surprisingly fun in spite of the team’s record, fans will expect progress in the standings with a more respectable product on the field as the rebuild enters its second phase.
The bullpen is an obvious area for Hahn to address this winter. Due to the trades of Robertson, Kahnle, Swarzak, Jennings, and Tyler Clippard, as well as injuries to Nate Jones and Zach Putnam, manager Rick Renteria had to survive with perhaps MLB’s least recognizable bullpen. 27-year-old Juan Minaya, a waiver claim from last year, was an up-and-down guy for the Sox until late June, and by mid-August he became the team’s closer. 30-year-old Gregory Infante signed a minor league deal in January and worked his way into high-leverage innings by season’s end. Most likely, Chicago’s bullpen will continue to present great opportunities to the game’s reclamation projects, especially after helping Swarzak and Kahnle turn around their careers. There’s room for mid-range additions as well, given the team’s sparse payroll commitments. While Hahn won’t be looking at Wade Davis or Greg Holland, the White Sox may add a few veterans in the $3-6MM per year range in addition to a likely significant number of minor league pacts.
The rotation is more settled. Veteran James Shields will retain a spot in the last year of his contract. Reynaldo Lopez and Lucas Giolito are in. Carlos Rodon will claim a spot, but his timetable is wide open currently as he recovers from shoulder surgery. As MLB.com’s Scott Merkin explained in September, Carson Fulmer is a contender for a spot and Michael Kopech will likely make his way up midseason. There seems to be room for at least one veteran addition, perhaps with last year’s $6MM deal with Derek Holland serving as a model. Free agent reclamation projects include Clay Buchholz, Jeremy Hellickson, Francisco Liriano, Wade Miley, Hector Santiago, and Chris Tillman.
The White Sox may also consider minor additions on the position player side. After going with Omar Narvaez and Kevan Smith behind the dish this year, the Sox could make a low-key veteran catcher addition from a list of many options. Leury Garcia showed well as the starting center fielder when he wasn’t battling injuries. Adam Engel and Charlie Tilson will be in the center field mix as well. Nicky Delmonico had a strong 166-plate appearance debut and should see time at left field and designated hitter. Yolmer Sanchez could be penciled in at third base with Moncada getting the nod at second and Anderson at shortstop. While they aren’t expected to contend for big names, the White Sox would benefit from adding both outfield and infield depth for 2018.
As Steve Adams outlined last month, the White Sox should consider taking advantage of their low payroll commitment to further boost their prospect stash. After arbitration raises, the team projects to have around $45MM committed to the 2018 payroll. Steve named bad contract examples such as Matt Kemp, Nick Markakis, Yasmany Tomas, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Wei-Yin Chen. The White Sox could agree to take on a contract like that in order to pry young players away from the club that is currently saddled with said contract. In the process, the Sox would also be supplementing their own 2018 team.
With most of the building blocks of the future already in the organization, the next phase of the White Sox rebuild will hinge on player development. The 2017-18 offseason figures to be much less eventful than the previous one for White Sox fans. Rick Hahn’s work is far from over, but the next White Sox playoff team is starting to come into view.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.