Chicago White Sox still have money to spend this offseason
By David Hill
The Chicago White Sox have already had an impressive offseason, but they may not be done making moves.
By any metric, this offseason has to be considered a success for the Chicago White Sox. The front office was determined to accelerate the rebuilding process, and they have done exactly that. In extending Jose Abreu, signing Yasmani Grandal, Dallas Keuchel, Edwin Encarnacion, and Gio Gonzalez, and trading for Nomar Mazara, the White Sox have sent a message – the rebuild is over.
As impressive as this offseason has been, the White Sox are not content to sit on their laurels. In fact, they may not be done with the roster overhaul, as general manager Rick Hahn stated that there is still money left to spend.
White Sox still have flexibility to add to payroll. Will keep 'powder dry' for July as well, Hahn said.
— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) December 30, 2019
Although the rotation and the lineup have improved, the White Sox still have an area of concern in the bullpen. Aaron Bummer and Alex Colome were the only two reliable bullpen pieces they had last year, making their relief corps the next target for improvement.
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Unfortunately, there is not much in free agency that could make much of a difference. At this point, Steve Cishek, Will Harris, and Daniel Hudson may be the top options available. The White Sox could always gamble on the likes of Fernando Rodney or Francisco Liriano, but the list of available relievers is hardly inspiring.
While it would not be a surprise to see the White Sox add a reliever in free agency, it is possible that a trade or two could be forthcoming. Given the weak crop of free agent relievers, non-contending teams could look to take advantage. Relievers such as Mychal Givens or Ian Kennedy would be an improvement for Chicago.
Likewise, the White Sox excess money may have been earmarked for other purposes. With a significant portion of their young core approaching arbitration, it may be time to consider extending those youngsters. This way, they will have financial certainty moving forward, and a better idea of how to fit those contracts into their future budgets.
dark. Next. The White Sox are finally contenders again
The Chicago White Sox may not be done this offseason. There is still money to spend to further improve the team, and holes left to be filled.