6 budget free agents the White Sox should target this offseason
By Eric Cole
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.