The White Sox have freed up nearly $25 million in a flurry of trades that also netted them three prospects who are ranked inside the top ten of their farm system.
The White Sox will also shed Yasmani Grandal’s $18.25 million salary this offseason giving them even more money to work with in theory.
Because of this USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that the White Sox could be major players in free agency. Of course, this could just be the front office trying to give fans hope after another failed rebuild.
But the notion that the White Sox do not spend is not necessarily true. In 2022 the White Sox had the eighth-highest payroll in the MLB at $195,623,522. This season they ranked 14th in the MLB and dished out the largest contract in franchise history to Andrew Benintendi.
Their issue isn’t spending. It’s identifying the correct free agents to spend it on. For the last several years the White Sox have fielded talented rosters. But for whatever reason the pieces didn’t seem to fit. The front office is happy to overpay for a relief pitcher but doesn’t spend over the $100 million necessary to land a franchise-changing player like Bryce Harper or Manny Machado.
The fact that Benintendi’s $75 million contract is the largest the franchise has ever handed out is an issue. Benintendi is worth the $15 million a year they are paying him but he is not a game-changing player that can put a team on his back and will them to a postseason.
Their total payroll allocated for 2024 is $138,233,333. Next year the White Sox will be paying Yoan Moncada $24 million, Benintendi $16.5 million, Eloy Jimenez $13 million, Luis Robert Jr $12.5 million and Aaron Bummer $5.5 million. They also have the option to pick up Tim Anderson's $14 million club option, Liam Hendricks's $15 million club option and Mike Clevinger’s $12 million mutual option. All signs point to the fact that they will.
That still gives them plenty of room to operate if they do intend on retooling this offseason. If they do here are some of the biggest free agents who do not have a club or player option by position:
Catcher: Mitch Garver, Omar Narváez, Mike Zunino
First base: Brandon Belt, C.J. Cron, Rhys Hoskins, Eric Hosmer
Second base: Adam Frazier, Jorge Polanco (club option), Whit Merrifield Jonathan Schoop, Kolten Wong
Third base: Brian Anderson, Matt Chapman, \, Evan Longoria, Justin Gio Urshela, Joey Wendle
Shortstop: Brandon Crawford, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Adalberto Mondesi, Amed Rosario
Outfield: Harrison Bader, Cody Bellinger, Charlie Blackmon, Michael Brantley, Adam Duvall, Joey Gallo, Randal Grichuk, Robbie Grossman, Teoscar Hernández, Kevin Kiermaier, Andrew McCutchen, Wil Myers, Joc Pederson, David Peralta, Tommy Pham, AJ Pollock, Jurickson Profar, Hunter Renfroe, Michael A. Taylor, Jesse Winker
Designated hitter: Jesús Aguilar, Matt Carpenter, Nelson Cruz, J.D. Martinez, Shohei Ohtani
Starting pitchers: Carlos Carrasco, Jack Flaherty, Lucas Giolito, Sonny Gray, Zack Greinke, Rich Hill, Clayton Kershaw, Kenta Maeda, Tyler Mahle, Frankie Montas, Jordan Montgomery, Aaron Nola, Jake Odorizzi, Shohei Ohtani, Hyun Jin Ryu, Luis Severino, Blake Snell, Noah Syndergaard, Julio Urías, Alex Wood
Relief pitchers: José Alvarado, Anthony Bass, Andrew Chafin, Aroldis Chapman, Dylan Floro, Michael Fulmer, Luis García, Josh Hader, Jordan Hicks, Craig Kimbrel, Matt Moore, David Robertson, Ryne Stanek, Blake Treinen
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