Re-ranking the White Sox offseason additions at the halfway point of the 2026 season

This weekend, the White Sox will play their 81st game of the season, officially marking the halfway point of 2026. While half of a season is a fairly significant sample size, it’s not always enough to draw conclusions about a specific player, especially a young player. However, it’s enough time to get a feel for which offseason moves are giving good returns and which haven’t worked out. Back in February, I ranked the White Sox major offseason moves based on which I felt were the best, and it’s time to update those rankings. 

1. Signing 1B Munetaka Murakami (Previously 1) 

Nothing’s changed here. The White Sox gamble on Munetaka Murakami at two-years and $34 million seems like one of the biggest bargains in baseball. The 25 year-old slugger led the American League with 20 home runs prior to his hamstring injury at the end of May, and concerns about his contact rate seem to be overblown. Though he’s likely going to be out until around the All-Star break, he should return for the second half and his bat will undoubtedly continue its impact. The only thing concerning White Sox fans in regards to Murakami is whether the team can sign him long-term. They’ve never signed a player for more than Andrew Benintendi’s $75 million contract, and there’s no better candidate to make their first. 

2. Signing LHP Sean Newcomb (Previously 6) 

At the time of my initial rankings, it was unclear whether Sean Newcomb would be a starter or reliever for the White Sox. Despite having the chance to earn a rotation spot in spring training, the White Sox elected to use Newcomb in a relief role, and that has paid off in the early going. After notching an eight-out save Tuesday night against the Guardians, Newcomb now leads all White Sox relievers with 1.3 fWAR, and he’s tied with Sean Burke for second among all pitchers on the roster. Newcomb has been a reliable lefty in a bullpen without a ton of reliable options, and his ability to pitch multiple innings has been incredibly valuable. With the White Sox very much in the postseason mix, it’s hard to see them being sellers at the trade deadline, but should they decide to sell, they should get great value for Newcomb. If he stays, he’ll be a key contributor in the bullpen for the stretch run. 

3. Signing LHP Anthony Kay (Previously 2) 

It’s been a bit of a mixed bag for Anthony Kay this season in his return from overseas, but he’s been a net positive addition for the White Sox. The left-hander holds a 4.24 ERA through 16 outings and his ERA+ of 102 is right around league average. The White Sox will take an average left-handed starter, especially for just five million a year. Much like Newcomb, the White Sox will have a decision to make on Kay, and their play over the next few weeks will likely be the biggest factor. Kay, unlike Newcomb, is under control for 2027, so the White Sox could theoretically keep him for the stretch run and reassess in the offseason. For now, Kay will look to be a reliable presence in a White Sox rotation that badly needs it, and it looks like Chris Getz got good value here. 

4. Trading RHP Gage Ziehl for RHPs Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin (Previously 4) 

I’ll keep this one in the same spot because the jury’s still out for me. Ziehl has an unremarkable 4.56 ERA in 11 outings for Double-A Portland, but the White Sox have yet to see much return either. Jordan Hicks’ stuff has returned to his previous form, but he’s struggled to consistently throw strikes, and he’s posted a 5.60 ERA in 21 appearances so far. The White Sox will hope for better results with Hicks under control for 2027 at a fairly expensive price. David Sandlin made three big league appearances, two bad and one good, before being optioned back to Charlotte for more seasoning. The White Sox still believe in his future as a starting pitcher, and it’s easy to see why based on his brief stint. Hopefully he’ll be able to consistently get outs at the big league level, which will move this squarely into the win column regardless of what Jordan Hicks does. 

5. Trading OF Luis Robert Jr. for UTIL Luisangel Acuna (Previously 7) 

If you tuned in to anything I wrote during the offseason, you’ll know I wasn’t a huge fan of the Robert trade at the time. I wasn’t high on Luisangel Acuna and I could envision Robert getting back to his 2023 form with a change of scenery. It turns out it’s been more of the same for Robert, who wasn’t particularly productive before once again landing on the injured list with back issues. The White Sox haven’t found much value in Acuna yet either, though his numbers in June are better. It’s looking like a trade that didn’t really net either team anything significant, though the White Sox are certainly happy to have gotten out of Robert’s contract. If Acuna’s strong June continues for the remainder of the season, this could move up the rankings, but for now, it’s just neutral. 

6. Signing RHP Seranthony Dominguez (Previously 3) 

Seranthony Dominguez has had a rocky road as White Sox closer. With five blown saves and an ERA nearing 4.50, he’s been the furthest thing from the reliable closer the White Sox hoped he’d be when they inked him to a two-year, $20 million deal. Somewhere in there is a productive late-inning reliever, he’s simply walking too many batters and allowing too many home runs to be trusted in crucial spots. Dominguez has a 0.77 ERA in non-save situations, so the solution could be as simple as swapping his role with Grant Taylor, who has posted much better numbers in the ninth inning. $10 million a year isn’t a terrible deal for a good setup man, so the White Sox need to find a way to make Dominguez fill that role. For now, though, it doesn’t look like a strong investment. 

7. Signing OF Austin Hays (Previously 5) 

The best ability is availability and Austin Hays simply hasn’t been available for the White Sox this season. The veteran has played in just 12 games this season due to two separate IL stints. Just when it looked like he was ready to return from his calf strain, Hays reinjured himself during a rehab assignment and has now been shut down. The earliest he can return is early July, so it may be after the All-Star break once he’s ready to rejoin the big league club. Assuming Everson Pereira has recovered from his concussion by then, it’s tough to even envision a role for Hays, as veteran Randal Grichuk has been excellent in a platoon role against lefties. We’ll see what the plan is when Hays is finally ready to return, but so far, the six million he’s owed has been a waste of money for the White Sox.

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