Chicago White Sox: Three free agent right fielders to look at
The Chicago White Sox might want to look to upgrade at right-field this offseason.
The Chicago White Sox are so close to being perennial playoff contenders. They might be closer than some people think but there are still some more holes to be filled. They need plenty of pitching and a little bit more depth would really help them. Their starting lineup can mash but they still could use another big bat in the lineup which would make their lineup even more lethal. Adding an elite hitting right-fielder would push them much closer to an American League pennant.
The White Sox traded for Nomar Mazara at the Winter Meetings in December of 2019 which is still an upgrade over what they would have had otherwise but they can still go for an upgrade. Mazara still has a pure talent that could force the White Sox to give him another look but he should not be a lock to be the Opening Day right-fielder in 2021. If they bring in someone else who is better but have Mazara as a bench option, that would be about as good as it gets for their depth.
Of all the options out there for the White Sox this winter, every one of them is vastly different. There are guys who have a lot to prove still and there are ones that are almost locked to be stars upon their arrival. The White Sox would have to do their due diligence in order to make sure that they are bringing in the right guy. These are the three right-fielders the White Sox should go for this upcoming offseason:
Joc Pederson. 31. player. 71. . RF. Los Angeles Dodgers
It seems like the Chicago White Sox have been connected to Joc Pederson for a few years now. There were multiple reports that they had a deal in place for him ahead of the 2019 season but nothing ever came to fruition. The Dodgers tried to move him to the American League many times and always came close but fell short. This might be the year where the White Sox finally land him but it won’t be via trade.
Pederson and the Dodgers stuck it out together which worked out well for both of them. They won the World Series in 2020 after being the best team in baseball during the regular season. With all of the star power that is there in Los Angeles, they are probably not going to bring him back which will allow him to go wherever he wants.
The White Sox should absolutely take another run at his services. He has been a great player for a long time for Los Angeles. He wasn’t as good as we are used to seeing him be in 2020 but he made up for it in the playoffs. He now has a World Series ring and was a big part of it. He would be bringing that experience along with a lot of other playoff experience to a very young team if he came to the South Side.
He knows how to deal with the good and the bad of postseason play which the White Sox will need in the coming years. There are a few veterans on the team but not many have the experience in the postseason that Pederson has. He isn’t a superstar by any means but he would be a great addition to the middle of the White Sox lineup. An outfield with him in right field would be a massive upgrade over the 2020 experience.
. RF. Houston Astros. George Springer. 4. player. 135
The best possible option on the market for a Chicago White Sox position player would be George Springer. Obviously, Trevor Bauer is the biggest free agent this offseason, and the White Sox should take a run at him. Outside of him, Springer is the next best option for them. They need help in right field so bad and adding Springer would be dropping a superstar in that spot.
Springer can play some great defensive right field and is also one of the best offensive right fielders in the game right now. It has been proven as he is a two time (2017, 2019) Silver Slugger Award winner. This is the type of player that helps teams win World Series titles. In fact, Springer brings World Series-winning experience as he won a ring with the Houston Astros in 2017.
Of course, the elephant in the room is the sign-stealing scandal that the Houston Astros were found guilty of. In 2017, they won the World Series in the year that they were accused of doing so. Springer is guilty and it will always be a talking point about his career. It was a major mistake that he made but he proved in 2019 and 2020 that he is still an amazing hitter without it. That, in a lot of ways, makes what he did even more annoying.
You know that when he finally gets to leave the Houston Astros he will be motivated to get that stink of his reputation. Coming over and helping the White Sox would be a great way for him to move on from such a scandal. There is no doubt that the White Sox will pursue him. It would make a lot of sense for him and his family to come over to the South Side and try to help get them over the edge.
Marcell Ozuna. 20. player. 17. . OF. Atlanta Braves
If the White Sox were unable to land George Springer, Marcell Ozuna wouldn’t be a bad option by any means either. He is a fantastic player that is now looking for a new home after spending just one season with the Atlanta Braves. This comes after five great years with the Miami Marlins and two with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Braves are going to do everything in their power to make sure that Ozuna sticks around because that is also a World Series contending team.
If the Braves were unable to retain Ozuna, however, the White Sox should go for him. He fits the category of players who “push you over the top”. He has primarily been a left fielder but the White Sox would absolutely be able to use him in right. Who knows, maybe they even switch around him with Eloy Jimenez from time to time to see how it goes.
Either way, if he played right, Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, and Marcell Ozuna would form one of the best offensive outfielders in the game. As for defense, we know about Eloy’s issues in the field but Robert and Ozuna are both known for being great in the outfield as they each have a Gold Glove apiece. If they wanted to add him to be their new right fielder, he would be a great fit.
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The cool thing is that he also has experience as a designated hitter as well. Without Edwin Encarnacion or James McCann impacting that position next year, he would fit the mold to have that role as well. His playoff experience doesn’t include a World Series but he has more experience in that area than pretty much the entire White Sox roster.