Love it or hate it, Luis Robert Jr. is no longer a member of the Chicago White Sox. The polarizing outfielder was dealt to the New York Mets for IF/OF Luisangel Acuna and RHP Truman Pauley earlier this week, with the Mets taking on the entirety of Robert’s salary. With three weeks left to go until Spring Training and an extra $20 million off the books, White Sox GM Chris Getz provided insight into the team’s plans for the remainder of the offseason.
Getz: "In general, I think we are going to be very active" when asked if his outfield is set. They anticipate a roster that is going to continue to evolve.
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) January 21, 2026
"We've got some financial flexibility now to continue to bring in talent."
There’s little doubt that the White Sox roster is incomplete. The team still has some notable vacancies that it should look to fill with the additional money. Here are the areas I would target.
An outfielder (or two)
The White Sox outfield mix looked thin even before the Robert trade, with oft-injured Andrew Benintendi slotted in alongside some high-upside reclamation projects in the grass. Newly acquired Luisangel Acuna has been playing outfield this winter in the Venezuelan league, but the majority of his minor and major league experience is in the infield. The White Sox infield of Munetaka Murakami, Chase Meidroth, Colson Montgomery, and Miguel Vargas is seemingly set, so Acuna’s clearest path to at bats may be in the outfield. Still, the team can’t rely on Acuna, Jarred Kelenic, and Everson Pereira to provide consistent outfield production in two spots, so adding at least one veteran outfielder feels like a necessity. The White Sox have reportedly shown interest in former Mets outfielder Michael Conforto, and solid options like Harrison Bader and Austin Hays remain available. Looks for the team to make at least one addition here.
Another starting pitcher
The White Sox added Anthony Kay early in the offseason, who they hope will provide serviceable innings in their rotation. LHP Sean Newcomb, despite not throwing 100+ innings in a season since 2018, is expected to get a shot at earning a starting role. Aside from that, the White Sox pitching depth looks thin at best. Shane Smith and Davis Martin will be pencilled into rotation spots and last year’s Opening Day starter Sean Burke seems to be the frontrunner for the fifth spot. The White Sox could certainly use some more reliable innings though, and the team has reportedly shown interest in free-agent right-hander Griffin Canning. Canning showed promise last season, but his Achilles injury in June may delay the start to his season, making him a curious fit for a team that’ll have more reinforcements on the way in the second half. I’d like to see the White Sox bring in a reliable veteran to round out the rotation, and RHPs Zack Littell, Lucas Giolito, and Justin Verlander are names I believe are worth considering.
Late-inning relief
The White Sox finished with an abysmal 15-36 record in one-run games in 2025. A big reason for that was their bullpen, which finished in the bottom half of the league with a 4.16 ERA. Early in the offseason, Chris Getz named the bullpen, particularly the late innings, as an area the team would like to upgrade in. Aside from adding Newcomb, who may be a starter, the White Sox have only added a pair of lefty relievers to compete for a spot on the roster. The majority of the high-leverage relief options are off the board, but a few interesting arms remain that could help support likely closer Jordan Leasure and get outs late in the game. The White Sox could use the newfound funds to add an arm or two to the mix.