Major League Baseball free agency is underway, and while no major deals have been officially inked yet, teams are beginning to make moves.
While White Sox general manager Chris Getz indicated the White Sox will remain relatively quiet this offseason, they still have several holes on the roster that could be supplemented in free agency. This includes adding depth at the corner infield spots, strengthening the bullpen, and addressing the corner outfield positions. Getz could also look to add another veteran arm to help eat innings and stabilize the rotation.
Earlier this week, the Milwaukee Brewers declined the mutual option of two players who could be a good fit, including a familiar face. Rhys Hoskins and José Quintana are both heading to free agency after their options were declined.
Jose Quintana
Quintana checks plenty of boxes for Chris Getz. He can eat innings, has pitched in big games, and brings with him a solid track record of experience.
Quintana spent the first six years of his career on the South Side, which includes his lone All-Star appearance in 2016. The southpaw posted a 3.51 ERA in 172 games with the White Sox before being traded to the Cubs in a blockbuster deal that netted the White Sox Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease.
Since then, Quintana has bounced around the league, making stops with seven different teams. This past season, he showed he can still be effective, going 11-7 with a 3.96 ERA in 26 starts. He was added to the Brewers' postseason roster, where he allowed three runs over five innings in a pair of playoff appearances.
Quintana has never been known as a strikeout pitcher, carrying a career 20.6% strikeout rate that sits just below league average. But in his age-36 season, he struggled even more to miss bats — striking out only 16% of hitters while walking nine percent.
However, he makes up for it by generating groundballs and durability. Over a 162-game span, Quintana is averaging 193 innings per season. His career 3.76 ERA is also proof that he knows how to get outs at the big league level, even without throwing at a high velocity.
Quintana’s last contract was worth $15 million, which might be steep for a short-term addition on a team like the White Sox. Still, if they could bring him in for closer to $10 million, he could be a worthwhile short-term fit.
Rhys Hoskins
Hoskins, on the other hand, seems less likely. Since he would likely not be viewed as a long-term fit, the White Sox might prefer to let Miguel Vargas handle the position instead.
Hoskins is coming off a rough season, where he slashed .237/.332/.416 with 12 homers and 43 RBIs. He was limited to 90 games with a sprained left thumb, then was moved to a bench role and was left off the postseason roster.
Like Quintana, Hoskins brings with him a solid track record. In eight MLB seasons, he owns a career .820 OPS with a 12.1 WAR. He is also averaging over 20 homers a season and owns a near 13% walk rate, which mirrors the type of hitter Getz targeted last season.
Milwaukee declined Hoskins’ $18 million option, and after a down season, he may be seeking a short-term prove-it deal to rebuild his value. That could make him an intriguing option for the White Sox, who could benefit from adding a proven veteran bat to support their young core and potentially flip him at the trade deadline for future assets.
