The White Sox are in a very interesting spot. They are coming off one of the worst seasons in major league history, yet they don’t seem to have much incentive to go out and spend significant money in free agency to make the team better immediately.
On top of that, the roster could still change significantly, as there are a few notable players that may be non-tendered by the team, which could open a few spots for prospects to step into their place, or free agents on a one year deal.
One of the spots the White Sox could have an overhaul at is first base, as there is plenty of discourse on whether Andrew Vaughn is worth 5+ million to the team. The same can be said about Gavin Sheets, as he has yet to prove that he should be a part of the White Sox future moving forward.
If the White Sox do indeed non-tender both Vaughn and Sheets, that will leave a decent hole at first base and DH. This hole could be partially filled by promoting first base prospect, Tim Elko, as he has been a fantastic hitter in the White Sox system since he was drafted.
However, an intriguing option just hit the free agent market, as the Yankees just declined the $17 million dollar option on Chicago Cubs legend Anthony Rizzo.
https://x.com/Yankees/status/1852738005846380782
This doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as Rizzo wasn’t very good this past season. In 92 games, Rizzo hit .228 with eight homers and 38 RBIs. That type of production doesn’t necessarily warrant a 17 million dollar paycheck.
Now, Rizzo will hit the open market, and the White Sox could kick the tires on him. On Rizzo’s side of things, he could be intrigued at the thought of coming back to Chicago. The Cubs don’t really have room for him as things currently stand, so the White Sox could be the next best thing.
Rizzo is 35, so it’s not likely that he is going to command a large multi-year deal, so he could settle for a prove it deal with a rebuilding team, as he would likely be flipped at the deadline to a contender. Sometimes that is a benefit for the player, as you don’t know necessarily know who will be a contender at the beginning of the year, but at the deadline you have a much clearer picture. This allows the player to give themselves a better shot of playing in the postseason.
The White Sox would be able to offer Rizzo the ability to play everyday, as well as a hitters park for a left handed power hitter. This could be enticing to Rizzo, as he has already won a World Series and made a lot of money.
Now, Spotrac projects Rizzo’s market value to be around two million, which is right in the White Sox price range. That seems a little low, but even if it is a few million more, the White Sox could still be interested, as they don’t have much left handed power. It could also be nice for the White Sox to have a World Series winner in the clubhouse to help out the young guys.
It remains to be seen if Rizzo would want to join a team like the White Sox at this point in his career, as going from a World Series team to the worst team of all time might not be the most enticing option. However, if the White Sox do end up non-tendering Vaughn and Sheets, they could make a call to Rizzo.
