With a month and a half remaining in the 2025 MLB season, the Chicago White Sox have already surpassed their 2024 win total. Any more wins to close out the season will mark another game of improvement.
As the team continues it's quest to improve back into contention, General Manager Chris Getz has said the team is “open to adding” this offseason.
While much of the roster is filled with young talent that the White Sox may not want to block, first base is a position without a clear answer. The White Sox also rank in the bottom third of the league in home runs, despite the recent power surge, and they could look to the free agent market to fill these needs.
Here are a few options that could be White Sox free agent targets, and for the record, I'll be keeping things realistic. Signing Pete Alonso or Kyle Schwarber would be great, but seems unlikely for the White Sox at this stage in the rebuild. I've also included my best guesses for what these free agent contracts could look like.
Josh Naylor, 29, Seattle Mariners
I’m sure White Sox fans are sick and tired of hearing about Josh Naylor at this point, but if you can’t beat him, sign him, right?
Naylor has more RBIs against the White Sox than any other player in baseball in the past few years. Even from a different division, Naylor finds a way to torment the White Sox. Signing him would mean the Sox don't have to play him every year. But also, Naylor provides a solid hitting ability and 20-25 homer power from the left side that the White Sox definitely need.
Naylor’s OPS has exceeded .700 in every year of his career except the shortened 2020 season. At 29, he should have a few years of solid production left in him, and his .800+ OPS this season should land him a 3-4 year deal.
The White Sox could fill a need in a big way and remove a problem from their schedule, and I think they should be in the market here.
Projected Contract: 4 years, 60 million
Rhys Hoskins, 33, Milwaukee Brewers
A former slugger with the Phillies, Rhys Hoskins has been looking to revive his career in Milwaukee. Once a consistent power threat, Hoskins missed the entire 2023 season with a torn ACL, and hasn’t quite found his pre-injury form.
His 26 homers in 2024 were in line with his career numbers, but his batting average dipped to just .214.
So far in 2025, Hoskins is hitting .242 with 12 homers in 82 games. A thumb injury has put a damper on his comeback tour again, and Milwaukee seems unlikely to exercise his $18 million option this offseason.
At 33, Hoskins shouldn’t command a long-term deal, but could be some solid right-handed power in the White Sox lineup at a reasonable price.
Projected Contract: 2 years, 25 million
Ryan O’Hearn, 32, San Diego Padres
Another former division rival, Ryan O’Hearn’s career really took off in Baltimore before a deadline trade to San Diego this season.
While his power numbers are middle-of-the-road, O’Hearn is a solid contact presence. His .828 OPS is a career-high, and he’s even played a little bit of outfield, though first base is his natural position.
O’Hearn doesn’t produce or even play much against left-handed pitchers, so the White Sox could elect to rotate Miguel Vargas or Curtis Mead to first base against southpaws, and O’Hearn could very easily be a primary DH.
There’s no question, though, that O’Hearn has been a solid hitter the past three seasons, and his bat would be a big help in the White Sox lineup.
Projected Contract: 3 years, 33 million
Expect the White Sox to be in the first base market
While none of these players are franchise cornerstones, they’re all solid hitters with a track record of success at the Major League level. All three of them could help stabilize a young and promising White Sox lineup, and help the team win more games in 2026 and beyond.
I don't expect the Sox to dish out any $100 million contracts this offseason. That said, it should be a much more eventful offseason than last year when Chicago made minor additions of players like Austin Slater and Mike Tauchman on short deals.
The firts base market is a logical one for Chicago to get involved in. Another veteran presence and power bat will help the current White Sox core develop and learn how to win.
It’ll be interesting to see how Chris Getz handles the 2026 offseason, but finding a long-term answer at first base is likely to be at the forefront of his mind.