6 budget free agents the White Sox should target this offseason
While the White Sox aren't going to be players for the big names, they could still make some interesting moves this offseason.
The truth is that as much as fans would love to see otherwise, the Chicago White Sox are not going to be buyers in the strict sense this offseason. The team has already made it clear that they are looking to trim back their payroll and general manager Chris Getz is willing to listen to offers for any of Chicago's players including studs like Luis Robert Jr. and especially Dylan Cease. For fans hoping that the White Sox would turn things around immediately in 2024, you may want to brace for disappointment.
With so many roster challenges along with the need for a fundamental overhaul in the team's philosophy and culture, getting the White Sox back on track is going to take some time and effort. However, just because Chicago isn't likely at all to try and muscle their way into the top of the free agent market doesn't mean that they can't make some moves that could help the club without breaking the bank. Far from it.
Here are 6 free agents that the White Sox should target that won't break the bank
Flashy moves are great and certainly get fanbases excited, but the measure of a front office's ability to sustain success in the big leagues is in how well they can find the best value. Throwing a bunch of money at a roster alone isn't enough (just ask the Mets). Chicago needs to get back to developing young players that can help them and hitting on some less expensive guys before they dive back into the deep end of the pool. Finding success on the cheap will enable this new front office to make the big moves later to put Chicago over the top in the future.
Let's take a look at some of the budget free agents that the White Sox need to target this offseason.
Luis Guillorme
With Tim Anderson hitting free agency after the White Sox declined his option, the White Sox need some help in the middle of their infield. Unfortunately, the options at shortstop and second base are decidedly lacking on the free agent market. However, this could work to the White Sox's advantage it could give them the opportunity to think outside the box a bit and target versatile infield Luis Guillorme.
Guillorme had a pretty productive stint with the Mets all things considered. He doesn't hit for any power to speak of, but he has still managed to be a league average bat (other than last season) thanks to his ability to make contact and draw walks while being able to play all over the infield and generally do so well.
The nice thing about Guillorme is that his positional flexibility would allow the White Sox to be creative with both their moves the rest of the offseason as well as with their lineups next year. His 70 wRC+ last year certainly wasn't good, but he is still just 29 and his struggles last year during the Mets' dumpster fire of a season should make him very affordable.
Whit Merrifield
Funnily enough, one of the better middle infielders available on the free agent market this year, Whit Merrifield, should also be pretty affordable. After a really successful tenure with the Royals where he was a perennial 3+ WAR player, Merrifield has played the last season and a half with the Blue Jays. His production has certainly dipped a bit in Toronto, but he was still an All-Star in 2023 and hit .272 which is nothing to sneeze at.
Merrifield's shortcomings are real. He is already 34 years old and the eye test suggests that his best years are behind him. Plus, he has never been a great on-base guy and his ability to take extra bases has waned as he has lost a step in recent years. However, he is still plenty quick enough and he is projected to only get a two year deal at around $16 million. For a White Sox club that needs a strong clubhouse presence that can also still play well up the middle, Whit would be a steal at that price.
Kenta Maeda
With Dylan Cease likely getting traded away in the not distant future, the White Sox are going to need guys to fill out their rotation. They do have a couple interesting names down in the minor leagues like Nick Nastini that could help in 2024, but one name on the free agent market that should be on the White Sox's radar is Kenta Maeda.
Maeda has had an up and down major league career so far with his 2020 season where he finished second in the Cy Young and posted a 2.70 ERA being the highlight thus far. Unfortunately, Maeda did have to have Tommy John surgery which cost him the entire 2022 season. However, he did return last season and pitched reasonably well. Assuming that he is willing to accept a short-term "prove it" deal, Maeda's splitter has a ton of upside and he could prove to be a bargain.
James Paxton
James Paxton is just one of those guys that always seems to produce when he is on the field, but isn't healthy enough to really capitalize on his success. Case in point: in 19 starts with the Red Sox this season, he posted a 4.50 ERA, although he was absolutely dominant in the first half of the season. However, he also had issues with his knee that cut his season short.
Chicago should absolutely not give Paxton a long-term deal as nothing in his history suggests he could hold up for that long physically. However, on a one or two year deal, Paxton has the ability to bridge the gap in the rotation to the future while also being more than just a placeholder. Moreover, if he can somehow stay healthy and return to being the guy he was in Seattle, Paxton could help Chicago get back to being competitive pretty quickly.
Brent Suter
Shopping on the budget aisle for relievers is always fun because there are always a few guys that are going to be undervalued because their pitching profiles are weird and that puts many teams off. One such guy is Brent Suter whose fastball averages in the high 80's which isn't exactly what most teams look for from bullpen arms these days. However, Suter is kind of a unicorn and Chicago would be making a mistake if they didn't take a close look at him.
Despite having a pretty crummy fastball, not missing bats, and playing home games for the Rockies aka the pitcher graveyard, Suter still managed to post a 3.38 ERA in 57 appearances. How did he do it? Well, Suter is elite at getting soft contact. Like, really elite. With that changeup of his from the left side, Suter puts the ball on the ground a ton and is basically impossible to square up. Assuming the White Sox feel good about their infield defense, Suter could end up being a sneaky good signing.
Jose Cisnero
It is always fun to steal a player who has value away from a division rival and one potential option there is reliever Jose Cisnero. Cisnero's best days are probably behind him, but he still managed to put up a pretty good season in 2023 peripherals-wise despite a 5.31 ERA. He still struck out 70 in 59.1 innings of work, still throws hard, and the amount of hard contact he gave up in 2023 was very atypical for him to the point where it looks like an aberration instead of being indicative of a larger issue.
Relievers are a volatile commodity and there is a chance that all the miles on Cisnero's arm are starting to catch up with him. However, he should be a fairly cheap sign and given his success in the recent past, Chicago should absolutely take a chance here.
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