White Sox vice president and general manager Chris Getz has publicly said that the team will be in the market for veteran starting pitching this offseason. Chicago will likely have a very young starting rotation in 2025 following the inevitable departure of Garrett Crochet via trade. As a result, prioritizing the acquisition of veteran starting pitchers is logical.
Short-Term Focus
Considering the White Sox current situation is key while identifying potential free agent starting pitcher targets. The team will be bad next year and it seems unlikely they will sign any pitcher to a big long-term contract. As a result, the top free agent starters on the market like Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, Max Fried, and Jack Flaherty are all unrealistic. The White Sox are not a destination right now and will not overpay anyone of significance enough to join the team in its current state.
The White Sox signed veteran starting pitchers Erick Fedde and Chris Flexen to short-term contracts last offseason and figures to operate similarly this winter. Several intriguing veteran starting pitchers are available in this free agent class who could be had on more short-term, cost-effective deals.
Jose Quintana
Jose Quintana needs no introduction to White Sox fans. The left-hander spent parts of six productive seasons on the south side from 2012 to 2017. While he will be 36 by Opening Day, Quintana still has something left in the tank. He was very respectable for the 2024 Mets, pitching to a 3.75 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 170.1 innings. He has been very durable throughout his career and should be relatively affordable, given his age. Quintana also provides the veteran presence Getz is looking for and could be a trade chip come the 2025 trade deadline. Of the pitchers in this tier, Quintana is my preferred option and part of my offseason plan.
Trevor Williams
Trevor Williams has been around the block, pitching for four teams over nine MLB seasons. While he has historically been mediocre, he is coming off the best season of his MLB career. The 32-year-old Williams pitched to a 2.03 ERA, 2.79 FIP, 1.04 WHIP, and 8.0 K/9 in 13 starts for the Nationals in 2024. Perhaps the light switch finally turned on for him. Williams also has been a longtime starter in MLB and could be the veteran presence Getz is looking for.
Andrew Heaney
Andrew Heaney has also been around for a long time. The 33-year-old left-hander had a relatively unspectacular 2024 season with the Texas Rangers but made 31 starts and also struck out nearly a batter an inning. Heaney has always had good strikeout stuff and could be a logical replacement for Garrett Crochet should he be traded.
Michael Lorenzen
Michael Lorenzen is familiar with being traded at the deadline, as that has been his fate two seasons in a row. It could be three if the White Sox sign him. The team was interested in him last offseason and could now circle back. The 32-year-old right-hander has pitched both in the rotation and out of the bullpen throughout his career. Whatever the role, he has always taken the ball. Lorenzen could fill a similar role that Chris Flexen had for the 2024 White Sox.
John Means
John Means is the ultimate risk/reward play this offseason. The 31-year-old left-hander has been very good throughout his career but has made just ten starts over the last three seasons combined because of injury issues. Means could be the steal of the offseason if he can manage to stay healthy. The White Sox are in the position to roll the dice on him.
Kyle Hart
Kyle Hart is a guy hardly anyone has heard of. He has just four MLB appearances to his name, all of which came in 2020. After bouncing around several AAA teams over the last few years, the 31-year-old left-hander landed with the NC Dinos of the KBO in 2024. He turned his career around in Korea, putting up a 2.69 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 182 strikeouts in 157 innings over 26 starts.
If the White Sox signing a pitcher out of the KBO sounds familiar, that is because it is. The team signed Erick Fedde out of Korea last offseason and he ended up being one of the best free agent signings by the team in recent memory. While Hart's KBO stats are not quite as impressive as Fedde’s, he is a cost-friendly option if the White Sox want to try their hand at striking gold out of the KBO for the second straight offseason.
Shinnosuke Ogasawara
Shinnosuke Ogasawara is a 27-year-old left-hander and has spent all nine seasons of his professional career in Japan. He is coming off a 2024 campaign where he had a respectable 3.12 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 24 starts for the Chunichi Dragons. He has never been a big strikeout pitcher and it is fair to question how his stuff will translate to MLB. However, Ogasawara's countryman Shōta Imanaga proved last season that one does not need overpowering stuff to be successful. Ogasawara is a potential option that should be relatively affordable.
Tomoyuki Sugano
Tomoyuki Sugano is another Japanese pitcher who is up for grabs. The 35-year-old right-hander has had an exceptional career in Japan. However, he will likely not command a substantial long-term MLB contract because of his age. His circumstances might work to the White Sox advantage. Sugano is a veteran and could be shipped off to a contender later in the season if he pitches well.
Final Word
While the White Sox will not be in the market for any of the top free agent pitchers this offseason, there are still plenty of intriguing arms in the tier they will likely be operating in. Each of the pitchers above has their own set of flaws but could still provide value to a White Sox ballclub looking to solidify their rotation ahead of the 2025 season.
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