The White Sox were an absolute mess this season, as they set the record for the most losses in modern baseball history. People knew the season wasn't going to be a great one, but not many predicted this outcome. Unfortunately, arguably the worst part about the season is the fact that in next year's draft, the White Sox cannot select higher than 10th.
Most figure that it can't possibly get worse next season, however some fear that might not be the case, as Chris Getz made some remarks on the White Sox broadcast that some fans did not like.
While it's not great to come out and say that your team isn't going to be active in trying to acquire better talent in free agency to try and fix one of the worst teams in major league history, this philosophy actually will benefit the White Sox for the long term, and here's why.
First, Chris Getz will likely be active in the trade market. According to Bob Nightengale, the White Sox fully intend to trade Garrett Crochet in the offseason, which likely net them a haul of prospects.
Depending on who the White Sox acquire in the trade, more support for the lineup could be on the way, especially if they get close to major league ready outfield bats.
I would also imagine the White Sox look into trading Luis Robert Jr., Andrew Benintendi, as well as Andrew Vaughn if anyone is interested them. However, Robert may be best to trade at the deadline, as he had a season that likely tanked his trade value.
Chris Getz still needs to prove that he can get proper value in these bigger trades, but trading away from a position of strength, your only position of strength, is usually the right practice.
The main reason why not "working heavy" in the offseason is for the best, is the fact that the roster is pretty much set with a ton of young guys that need an opportunity to prove themselves.
At first base, you will likely have Andrew Vaughn and Tim Elko. If the White Sox trade or cut Vaughn, there aren't really any free agent options that fit what the White Sox are going to be looking for.
At second, you have Lenyn Sosa, who had a fantastic end to the season, as well as Brooks Baldwin, who showed flashes of being an everyday MLB player before getting injured.
At shortstop, Colson Montgomery will likely break camp with the team and you want him getting every single rep possible.
At third, you have Bryan Ramos who also finished the season on a high note, and the White Sox also invested a lot of resources in Miguel Vargas, so both will play everyday, with one taking DH while the other plays third.
At catcher, you will likely have Edgar Quero for most of the season, and he needs to get as many at-bats as possible so he can get acclimated to the major leagues. Korey Lee has also shown that he is a more than capable backup catcher.
Most of these guys should be getting bats every single day, as the White Sox need to see what they can do. If you sign a veteran to take at-bats away from them, it's not going to help their development. It may not be pretty, but it takes time for players to get used to MLB pitching, so getting consistent at-bats helps.
While the outfield may be a solid place to sign a free agent, if the White Sox don't move Robert or Benintendi, there won't be a spot for them to play, as it is likely that Dominic Fletcher and Zach DeLoach split time in right, as they both showed flashes to end the season.
There won't be a need to add anyone in the rotation either, as the White Sox have had some fantastic contributions from rookies this season. Sean Burke, Drew Thorpe, and Jonathan Cannon all looked like long-term major league pitchers. On top of that, Davis Martin looked fantastic in his return from Tommy John surgery.
Those four should make up 80% of the rotation, while Jake Eder, Ky Bush, Jairo Iriarte, and Mason Adams can all battle it out for the final spot. The White Sox need to figure out what they have in these players, as they will have two top tier prospects in Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz looking to join them soon. While a rotation with these guys wouldn't be flashy, it will be one that offers tremendous upside.
The spot where the White Sox could add a guy or two to be flipped at the deadline could be the bullpen, although they may not have much room, as the White Sox have some solid young talent already in the bullpen and in AAA. If the White Sox go the route of signing a bullpen arm or two, they need to be ready to DFA them right after the trade deadline if they aren't playing well, as there was no need for John Brebbia to be playing for the White Sox into August.
The White Sox have plenty of young and intriguing position players and pitchers that need time to show what they can do. Signing a veteran to potentially get a no-name prospect in a trade at the deadline instead of playing the young guys might not be the best move this year, as if they are bad again, they can pick higher than 10th in 2026.
Getz not "working heavy" in free agency may be the best move for the future of the White Sox franchise, as it can allow the young guys to play and show Getz that they belong on the team when they are eventually competitive. It may not be pretty, but watching some of the better prospects in the White Sox system get major league at-bats will likely be more exciting. This September could be a good indicator for next season, as the White Sox went 10-15 when they had most of their young guys getting consistent at-bats.
