Chicago White Sox
Another team that has been rumored for both Harper and Machado is the Chicago White Sox.
In Nightengale’s report, he states that the White Sox have yet to offer a contract to Harper, but they certainly have interest. The most likely scenario that Harper lands in the South Side of Chicago is if the Phillies end up landing Machado.
While every team could make a spot for a player of Harper’s caliber, the White Sox certainly have a black hole in the outfield. In 2018, White Sox outfielders accumulated -1.2 fWAR, the worst mark in MLB. It’s extremely difficult to envision a scenario that Harper wouldn’t improve the White Sox outfield corps in 2019 and beyond.
The White Sox, like the Phillies, have money to spend, but it’s less clear that the Sox are about to enter a period of contention. After the 2016 season, the White Sox traded Chris Sale and Adam Eaton for a large group of prospects that looked ready to contribute sooner rather than later. After losing 95 games in 2017, the White Sox looked to improve in 2018, but with recently acquired prospects Yoan Moncada and Lucas Giolito playing below expectations, the Sox ended up losing 100 games.
It’s not clear how much Harper cares about winning, but if he does, the White Sox would certainly be a risky choice for him.
Odds that the White Sox get Harper: 20%