The Chicago White Sox are wrapping up another lost season in which they'll likely lose 100 games. It will be a third straight year of being towards the bottom of baseball after the team's competitive window abruptly slammed shut in 2023
The White Sox followed up 2023 by losing a record 121 games in 2024. At least the 2025 season will finish with the White Sox heading in the right direction and showing more promise than the previous two dreadful years.
The 2025 squad has a young, exciting core that emerged in the second half of the season. There is finally hope for the future, but the White Sox will go nowhere unless these young players get better in deficient areas and the front office adds more talent in the offseason.
Hitting with runners in scoring position must improve
A lack of scoring is a huge reason the White Sox are in a funk after starting September so hot. Chicago scored four total runs in the first four games of the team's current six-game losing streak.
This offense scored just six runs in a 43-inning span against Cleveland and Baltimore over the past week.
The Guardians swept Chicago over the weekend due in part to the White Sox lineup going 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Hitting with runners in scoring position (RISP) has been a huge problem all season.
Chicago ranks in the bottom five in RISP average, home runs, and slugging percentage. Good teams produce in clutch situations, but there is some hope for the White Sox to improve in that area.
Rookie Kyle Teel is producing eye-popping numbers in RISP chances. I already consider him to be "Mr. Clutch", a player who the White Sox can turn to when they need a big hit. Veteran outfielder Mike Tauchman also has an average over .300 with runners in scoring position, and he should be back next season.
Rookies Edgar Quero, Colson Montgomery, and Chase Meidroth all need to produce more consistently with runners in scoring position, as does Miguel Vargas.
If GM Chris Getz is going to make moves in the offseason, he should focus on signing a first baseman or DH who has good numbers in scoring opportunities to help turn this glaring weakness into a lineup strength.
White Sox bats need to generate more power
The White Sox lineup has been hitting more home runs in the second half. However, the team is still bottom 10 in long balls. The Sox are also one of the worst offenses in team slugging percentage.
This second-half power surge has mostly happened because of Colson Montgomery hitting 18 home runs since July 22. The White Sox have just five hitters with 10+ home runs, with Sosa and Andrew Benintendi currently tied for the team lead at 20.
That is just not going to cut it in a homer-friendly ballpark such as Rate Field. The White Sox and GM Chris Getz need to add more pop to the lineup in the offseason.
I do think we could see some growth in the power department from some White Sox rookies. Catchers Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero have shown in the minors that they can hit more than the 13 home runs they have combined for this season.
Driving the ball will come in due time as both catchers feel more comfortable handling duties behind the plate. It has already started for Teel, who has eight (8) home runs and a .497 slugging percentage since July 23.
If both Teel and Quero can hit 15-20 homers in 2026, that will help immensely next season.
TEEL TIME ⌚️ pic.twitter.com/0m9YjZSMW4
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 16, 2025
It would be a dream for Getz to sign a pending free agent slugger like Kyle Schwarber or Pete Alonso in the offseason. I just don't expect the team to spend that kind of money.
However, if Rhys Hoskins becomes a free agent, he might be an affordable addition at first base who consistently bangs out 25+ home run seasons when healthy.
High-leverage relief pitching has been awful
The White Sox have been in a lot of close games this season, but they haven't won many of them. Chicago is 13-33 in games decided by one run in 2025. A big reason for that is a bullpen that has been awful in high-leverage situations.
Chicago's bullpen is in the league's bottom five for ERA and FIP in high-leverage situations. However, the club does have some promising arms in the bullpen who have the stuff to eventually thrive in those situations. Grant Taylor, Wikelman González, Mike Vasil, and Jordan Leasure can all bring the heat to miss bats in crunch time.
Right now, young White Sox relievers are going through the growing pains of gaining experience in those situations. The good news is that Getz should easily be able to find some help in free agency. He doesn't have to break the bank to get some competent relievers.
Devin Williams would be an ideal buy-low signing looking to bounce back to All-Star form after a dreadful season with the Yankees. Spotrac projects Williams to get a one-year deal around $6 million. If he can regain the dominant stuff he had with Milwaukee, the White Sox could leverage Williams at the trade deadline while getting a boost in high-leverage situations during the first half.
I don't want to see Getz spend a ton of money on the bullpen help like his predecessor, Rick Hahn. However, this is an offseason where he should use some of the budget on short-term help while the young arms continue to develop. A better bullpen would lead to many more wins in 2026.