The White Sox may miss out on a crucial opportunity to add a proven closer

The Winter Meetings are quickly approaching and the MLB free agent market is beginning to round into form. A flurry of activity this week has set up what should be a busy next seven days around the league. The White Sox got on the board in free agency this week, agreeing to a two-year deal with left-handed starter Anthony Kay. Also on the docket for the White Sox to upgrade this offseason appear to be first base, the outfield, and the bullpen. Given the recent barrage of reliever signings, however, the White Sox may need to act fast or find themselves out of luck. 

The White Sox had some promising performances in the bullpen this year, despite the overall numbers ranking in the bottom-half of the league. Breakout performers like Grant Taylor, Mike Vasil, and Jordan Leasure have given the team something to build around in the pen. One thing certainly lacking, however, was the presence of an established late-inning reliever. The White Sox ranked last in baseball with just 25 saves as a team, and those were divided among eight different players. Jordan Leasure led the way with seven, and he finished the year strong, but was inconsistent for the first half of the season. The White Sox bullpen could certainly benefit from the presence of an established closer, but the options are already wearing thing. 

Fast-moving reliever market has caused a shortage of options

It isn’t yet the winter meetings, but the closer free agent market is in full swing. Raisel Iglesias, Ryan Helsley, Devin Williams, and Emilio Pagan are among the late-inning relievers who have already signed with new teams, each getting in the $10-15 million range per season. It’s a hefty price for a reliable closer, and I’m not sure the White Sox are going to be comfortable going to that level financially. Among the remaining options is former Mets closer Edwin Diaz, who is the top option available and will likely land close to $100 million in free agency. The White Sox won’t, and probably shouldn’t, go near that price. 

A few other names remain on the market with closing experience. Veteran Kenley Jansen could be an option. He’s still been productive despite approaching his age-38 season, although he can’t have too many seasons remaining before his decline.

Former Rays closer Pete Fairbanks is one of the more popular names on the market and will likely command a similar AAV to that of Helsley and Williams. It would be a surprise to see the White Sox willing to spend that much. A few other options with closing experience but questions about their reliability include Kyle Finnegan, Luke Weaver, David Robertson, and Gregory Soto. The White Sox may elect to pursue one of these lower-cost options, or may miss out completely because of high demand. 

Should the White Sox decide to go with an internal option in the bullpen, Jordan Leasure would seem to be the betting favorite. Grant Taylor certainly has the repertoire, but White Sox appear to prefer him in a multi-inning role. Mike Vasil could be a possibility, but he may be more valuable as a swingman after throwing 100 innings in 2025. Leasure has expressed his desire to become a closer, and 13 of his final 14 appearances being scoreless outings certainly warrants an extended look. Regardless, the closer role will be an important development as the White Sox look to take another step forward in 2026. If Chris Getz and the White Sox would like to bring in an established closer via free agency, they may need to act fast or risk missing the opportunity.