Offseason In Review: Chicago White Sox

The White Sox hired a new manager and cashed in Garrett Crochet for prospects, otherwise making affordable, low-ceiling additions.

Major League Signings

• Martin Perez, SP: one year, $5MM.  Includes $10MM mutual option for 2026 with a $1.5MM buyout
• Josh Rojas, 3B: one year, $3.5MM
• Mike Tauchman, LF/RF: one year, $1.95MM
• Michael A. Taylor, CF: one year, $1.95MM
• Austin Slater, LF/RF: one year, $1.75MM
• Bryse Wilson, SP/RF: one year, $1.05MM

2025 spending: $15.2MM
Total spending: $15.2MM

Option Decisions

• Team declined $25MM club option on 3B Yoan Moncada, paying $5MM buyout
• Team declined $7.5MM club option on C Max Stassi, paying $500K buyout

Trades and Claims

• Claimed RP Penn Murfee off waivers from Astros
• Took P Shane Smith from Brewers in Rule 5 draft
• Acquired C Kyle Teel, OF Braden Montgomery, IF Chase Meidroth, and SP Wikelman Gonzalez from Red Sox for SP Garrett Crochet
• Acquired C Matt Thaiss from Cubs for cash
• Acquired cash from Angels for C Chuckie Robinson
• Acquired RP Cam Booser from Red Sox for SP Yhoiker Fajardo
• Acquired RP Tyler Gilbert from Phillies for RP Aaron Combs
• Acquired cash from Padres for RP Ron Marinaccio
• Claimed SS Jacob Amaya off waivers from Orioles
• Claimed RP Brandon Eisert off waivers from Rays
• Claimed P Owen White off waivers from Yankees

Notable Minor League Signings

• Bobby Dalbec, Omar Narvaez, James Karinchak, Brandon Drury, Tristan Gray, Mike Clevinger, Travis Jankowski, Joey Gallo (since released)

Extensions

• None

Notable Losses

• Garrett Crochet, Yoan Moncada, Max Stassi, Gavin Sheets, Nicky Lopez, Enyel De Los Santos, Braden Shewmake

Chris Getz was hired as White Sox executive vice president/GM in August 2023, inheriting manager Pedro Grifol from previous longtime GM Rick Hahn.  After about a year in the GM chair with his team sporting a historically bad 28-89 record on the 2024 season, Getz fired Grifol and installed Grady Sizemore as interim manager for the remainder of the campaign.  Managers can occasionally ride out rebuilding years, proving themselves on soft factors and retaining the job when the team gets good.  The Orioles’ Brandon Hyde did this.  Grifol, however, did not warrant that level of faith.

Given a clean offseason slate to choose his own manager, Getz ran an extensive search that included Will Venable, Daniel Descalso, Phil Nevin, George Lombard, A.J. Ellis, Donnie Ecker, Danny Lehmann, Clayton McCullough, Craig Albernaz, and many others whose names did not reach the media.  Getz had competition from the Marlins on several of these candidates.  He ultimately chose Venable on October 29th.  McCullough landed the Marlins gig not long after, while Nevin still landed with Chicago but as a special assistant in their player development department.

The Princeton-educated Venable became the 44th manager in White Sox history, and he takes over a team that has nowhere to go but up.  Getz himself was the beneficiary of Jerry Reinsdorf’s “I didn’t have to interview these people, because I knew them all” hiring approach, which also netted Tony La Russa as manager in October 2020.  So it’s always a relief to see the White Sox conduct an extensive search as they did with Venable.