Two problems down, several to go for the Chicago White Sox.
Hiring manager Will Venable and director of hitting Ryan Fuller were the two most critical decisions the Sox needed to make before Winter Meetings.
While general manager Chris Getz may continue to restructure the coaching and management staff before spring training, the primary focus of the rebuild now shifts to fixing the roster.
Addressing the second base quandary should be at the top of the lengthy list.
The Sox cycled through several second basemen this year, but none stood out.
Chicagoland native Nicky Lopez slashed .241/.312/.294 and only hit one home run.
Lenyn Sosa was slightly better, but not by much. He put up a slash line of .254/.283/.359 with eight home runs.
Brooks Baldwin’s first season in the league didn’t live up to the high expectations he set in the minor league, but he at least hit above the Mendoza line.
While the Sox aren’t in deep water, they certainly aren’t staying competitive in the second base market.
If Chicago wants to get ahead of the rebuilding curve and put themselves in the best position to make a wild card run before 2028, they should go all-in on Baldwin.
Investing in Baldwin this offseason and naming him the 2025 Opening Day second baseman could yield the Sox the best return in years to come.
Drafted in 2022, Baldwin showed a stable performance in Single and High-A before breaking out this year. He batted .324 with 102 hits, 41 runs batted in, and 17 stolen bases combined in Birmingham and Charlotte.
With less clubhouse drama, fewer coaching changes, and a real hitting coach on staff, Baldwin’s numbers will improve next year.
Acquiring a new second baseman is illogical and sends the wrong message.
With a shallow free agent market and few top-tier players, there are no formidable options that fit Chicago’s slim budget and allow Baldwin to get plenty of at-bats. Trading for a prospect would be a step backward and show no confidence in him, too.
Sticking with Baldwin allows the Sox to see where their prospects shake out and buy them time to reduce their roster issues when the stakes are low and the payoff is high.
The best move for the Sox is to be patient and see how Baldwin grows. Hanging tight isn’t the flashiest move, but naming Baldwin the starting second baseman is a subtle yet important move the Sox can make to progress the organization and focus on other key areas of improvement.