White Sox Better Suited With Manny Machado Than Bryce Harper

White Sox have reportedly offered an eight-year deal to superstar free agent infielder. The franchise could be better off not signing free agent outfielder.

White Sox fans have been waiting in anticipation this offseason in the hopes that their favorite team can sign one of two of the top free agents available. With the recent report of the Sox offering Manny Machado an eight-year contract, fans might not have to wait much longer for some good news.

The other superstar free agent that’s available this offseason, Bryce Harper, could be signing with a team in the National League. Harper recently had a meeting with the Philadelphia Phillies and apparently, it went very well. While the Sox were once rumored to be favorites to sign Harper, recently the franchise has seen momentum grow towards signing Machado.

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Surely the Sox could use either Harper or Machado for the next phase in their rebuild. But if Harper is looking for a contract more than the reported $300 million offered by the Washington Nationals, he might be too expensive for the Sox. Machado’s camp has been rumored to be looking for a deal close to $300 million, but with the list of suitors dropping to just the Sox and Phillies, it’s hard to see him getting a contract worth that much.

This doesn’t mean Machado won’t get paid. The reported offer made by the Sox according to Hector Gomez is $250 million over eight years. This could work to the benefit of the Sox much more than a 10 or 12-year deal for Harper. With an eight-year deal, the Sox would have the opportunity to pay for other players that could be free agents by the time Machado hits the sixth year of his contract.

Players such as Eloy Jimenez, Yoan Moncada, Reynaldo Lopez and even Lucas Giolito (if he turns it around) could be due for some hefty raises before they become free agents. Having Machado signed to a seven or eight-year deal won’t prevent the Sox from offering extensions to other players once they’re close to becoming free agents.

If the Sox are committed to building a team that contends on a yearly basis, signing Machado over Harper could be the best option. Harper would fill a need for the Sox in right field, but signing him to a 10-year deal or longer wouldn’t be in the best interest of this franchise. The Sox already have traded for Machado’s brother-in-law in Yonder Alonso and signed one of his good friends, Jon Jay. Now Sox fans wait for Machado to potentially sign to play on the South Side.