The White Sox improved by 19 wins from the 2024 to the 2025 season, marking significant improvement. Additionally, the White Sox played much better than a 60-102 team for most of the second half, as they had some important contributions from the rookies on the roster.
As we dissect the 2025 season, we will take a look at how each player performed, as well as their outlook for 2026 and beyond. The next player we will take a look at will be outfielder Michael A. Taylor.
Michael A. Taylor was signed as a free agent by the White Sox in February, as he was brought in to bolster the depth of the outfield on the major league roster. Prior to the season, there were a lot of question marks in that position group, so Taylor added veteran stability.
Taylor ended up being a stable force throughout the season, as he hit .200 with a .259 OBP, adding nine homeruns, 35 RBIs, and eight stolen bases. While not overly impressive numbers at the plate, Taylor offset it with very solid defense in the outfield. Despite that solid defense, Taylor finished the season with exactly 0 WAR according to Baseball Reference.
Michael A. Taylor! 💥 pic.twitter.com/xDY7zvmBTg
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 15, 2025
I would say that Taylor looked better than the numbers say, as he was much more valuable to the team than just 0 WAR. While he wasn't the most productive player at the plate, he still managed to hit 9 homeruns in 285 at-bats, which would be close to a 20 homer place over a full season's worth of at-bats.
According to Baseball Savant, Taylor was an elite fielder, as he graded in the 83rd percentile in outs above average and the 68th percentile in fielding run value. On top of that, he was in the 60th percentile in sprint speed, which is very impressive for a 34 year old in his last season.
Overall, I would grade Taylor out as a C+ on the season. He did exactly what he was signed here to do: provide a decent bat with good defense and production on the bases, all while being a great clubhouse guy. This was exactly what the White Sox were hoping for when they signed Taylor.
Unfortunately, this was Taylor's last major league season, as his last game came on September 28th against the Washington Nationals. Taylor had a very good 12 year career, and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.
