2024 was the worst season ever for the Chicago White Sox.
That is saying something, considering the franchise has been around since 1900 and the club set the record for most losses in a 162-game season.
2024 is now in the rearview. The hope is the White Sox will win at least get back to winning, say 60 games. That is still an awful season but it least it would not be historic.
2025 will also likely see these three players depart the team either at the trade deadline or at the end of next season.
Luis Robert Jr.
The front office reportedly wants to trade their former All-Star outfielder. The logic is not completely flawed despite his trade value being at its lowest.
He is coming off a season where a hip injury caused him to miss 62 games in 2024. If he suffers another lengthy injury, then the team has to consider paying him his $2 million buyout after the season and lose him for nothing.
It means trading him for pennies on the dollar since his 2024 production was a far cry from his career season in 2023 when he was able to avoid a long IL stint and hit 38 home runs.
Robert Jr. is still 27 and will earn a very affordable $15 million this season, along with two $20 million club options. LRJ still plays a Gold Glove-caliber centerfield, which still makes him attractive to a contender.
The key will be when the front office decides to trade him. The safe play is to aim for getting something significant this offseason, as general manager Chris Getz is speculated to be wanting in return.
Keeping LRJ while hoping he stays healthy and rebuilds his value will certainly make sure the return meets what Getz is demanding. If he does go down with an injury that requires a lengthy IL stint, then he will likely be bought out, much like what happened to Yoan Moncada this offseason.
Either way, Robert Jr.'s days appeared numbered on the Southside.
Steven Wilson
Wilson came to the Sox as part of the Dylan Cease deal. He was supposed to be a reliable bullpen arm. Instead, he struggled and spent the last six weeks of the season on the IL.
Now 30, the hope is Wilson has a bounce-back season so that the team can trade by the deadline.
The Sox are still in the early stages of an extensive rebuild. That means taking a player like Wilson and turning him into multiple future assets or even just one that is younger.
Wilson should still be considered a tradable pitcher considering he was a valuable bullpen arm for San Diego before coming to Chicago.
If he does return to form, bullpen arms brought a nice return at the 2024 trade deadline.
Andrew Vaughn
The former top-five pick has yet to live up to his draft status and promise. He has been nothing more than a replacement-level player during his four MLB seasons with the Sox.
This must be his last shot to prove he can be a player whose fWAR is higher than two. Otherwise, it is time to move on especially when a player like Miguel Vargas can at least provide defensive value at first base.
The Sox also could try Bryan Ramos at first or even prospect Tim Elko. They could even sign a veteran to fill the position for cheaper.
Even if he does produce better numbers than he has the past four seasons, he is likely to get traded by the deadline.
Vaughn only has one more year of club control left after the 2025 season. Considering he will be 28 by Opening Day of 2026, it would make more sense to leverage his trade value rather than extend him if he turns out to be productive.
If Vaughn has another terrible start to the season and stumbles to another fWAR of one or less, then a non-tender should be considered.