Amidst a mostly slow-moving free agent market across Major League Baseball is a bullpen market rapidly thinning. Many of the biggest name closers, including Edwin Diaz, Devin Williams, Robert Suarez, Raisel Iglesias, Emilio Pagan, and Ryan Helsley have agreed to new deals, leaving the remaining teams looking to add a late-inning presence with dwindling options. Widely considered the best closing option remaining, Pete Fairbanks has generated widespread interest this offseason, with several teams reportedly in pursuit. The White Sox, according to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, are among the teams interested, and a recent report could be a promising sign for their chances. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, in an article this week, provided an update on Fairbanks’ market
“Fairbanks, who turned 32 on Tuesday, is a top reliever when healthy”, Rosenthal wrote. “But his 60 ⅓ innings last season were a career-high by a good margin. Prior to that, he had never exceeded 45 1/3 .Two righty relievers agreed Wednesday to two-year, $22 million contracts, Brad Keller with the Philadelphia Phillies, Luke Weaver with the New York Mets. The Miami Marlins are among the teams still interested in Fairbanks, but it appears unlikely he will command the $11 million salary the Rays declined to pay him on a one-year deal”.
While the White Sox aren’t explicitly mentioned, there’s no reason to believe their interest in Fairbanks has faded. The team has yet to address the bullpen outside of their Rule 5 picks and a lottery-ticket waiver claim, and the market is no longer saturated with other options. With the early deals for closers in the $12-15 million per year range, it felt unlikely that the White Sox would be able to compete with some higher-spending teams. But Rosenthal’s report suggests Fairbanks’ injury history could slightly lower his market price, which may make him a more realistic target for the White Sox.
White Sox could look to recent Tigers signing for example
Perhaps a deal similar to the one for Tigers reliever Kyle Finnegan could be a baseline. Finnegan agreed to a two-year, $19 million contract with Detroit during the Winter Meetings, and his 90 saves since the start of 2023 do trump Fairbanks’ 75. The Tigers have since agreed to a deal with Kenley Jansen, however, meaning Finnegan could be in line for more of a set up role in 2026. Perhaps the injury concerns for Fairbanks will balance out the uncertainty about Finnegan’s role and land them similar contracts. $9.5 million per season would be a solid deal for a closer who is among the best in the league when healthy.
Adding Fairbanks would give the White Sox a reliable ninth inning option without a long-term commitment and a potential valuable trade chip at the deadline. Good closers command hefty returns, so the White Sox could rely on a good first half from Fairbanks while an internal option like Jordan Leasure eases into a late-inning role. It’s a low-risk high-reward pursuit that is starting to feel more and more plausible as he remains on the market.
The White Sox may come up short in their pursuit and Fairbanks may elect to go with a contending team, but the White Sox seem to be very much involved and the bell hasn’t rung yet. Chris Getz has remained optimistic about the White Sox as a desired landing spot for free agents, and this offseason will be the first test of whether his feelings are warranted.
Getz on free agents sensing the White Sox improvement/development: "When we meet with these agents or talk to these players, the reputation is really strong. They can sense what’s going on here. People want to come here. They do. They want to work here, they want to play here."
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) December 10, 2025
If the White Sox are able to convert on some of their free agent targets, it could be a very happy holiday season on the South Side.