First base is a glaring issue for the Chicago White Sox heading into 2025, and it needs to be fixed by signing a free agent.
Andrew Vaughn and Gavin Sheets have both manned first base since José Abreu went to the Astros in 2023, but they haven’t pulled their weight. Vaughn only batted above .240 in two games and ended the season with a .246/.297/.402 slash line.
Sheets performed even worse.
He slashed .233/.297/.402 and mustered 10 home runs. Their defense also isn’t impressive, as Vaughn held a -1.3 dWAR and Sheets a -1.4 dWAR. Simply put, Vaughn and Sheets aren’t worth the roughly $9 million in arbitration that MLB Trade Rumors projects them to earn.
That leaves Miguel Vargas and Tim Elko. Vargas was acquired in the Dodgers’ Michael Kopech trade in July and has yet to prove that he’s earned a spot on the 40-man roster. Elko had impressive Double and Triple-A stats this year, but he still hasn’t made his MLB debut and shouldn’t be burdened with lofty expectations.
Chicago needs a starter for Opening Day 2025, and there’s nowhere else to turn but the free-agent market.
Here are the top five ranked first basemen the White Sox should target this offseason...
1. Garrett Cooper
Cooper is a solid buy-low option with plenty of upside for the Sox. He has a .265 batting average, a .333 on-base percentage, and a .427 slugging percentage over his eight-year career, and he was named an All-Star in 2022.
Though he’s coming off the worst season of his career, it’s unlikely he’ll be worse than Vargas. Cooper is primed to rebound next year and should be an ideal candidate for the Sox to acquire at a discount.
2. Josh Bell
Bell has the right balance of experience and skill to join the Sox as they figure out their identity. Though he started slow, Bell finished the year strong.
His batting average rose from .239 to .279, and his dWAR improved by a full point after being traded from the Marlins to the Diamondbacks at the deadline, where he played his best since 2019.
Though he’s a Scott Boras client, Bell’s age and average performance outside late summer this year will cut his price to be worth a short-term contract.
3. Wilmer Flores
Flores is a veteran infielder who is known for his patience at the plate. He has a career batting average of .260 and his strikeout percentage is well below the league average of 22.7%.
While he’s battled injuries over the years, he continues to deliver productive at-bats, and his presence would add consistency to a very inconsistent lineup. If neither the club nor player option is exercised for Flores, the Sox would get value out of Flores for at least a year.