As the Winter Meetings start this week, rumors will begin to swirl, as this is one of the busiest times in the offseason. There will certainly be plenty of rumors surrounding Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert Jr., but there are other players the White Sox have been linked to as of late.
According to the Athletic’s Jim Bowden, he links the White Sox and outfielder Alex Verdugo as a fit in free agency.
This is curious, as the White Sox have 2/3rds of the outfield currently set, as Luis Robert Jr. will be in center and Andrew Benintendi will be in left. However, their names have been discussed in trade rumors, so the White Sox could have three spots to fill in the outfield if they are able to find a good trade for both of them.
Verdugo could be an intriguing option for the White Sox as he has been an above average player for most of his career. He had a down last year with the Yankees, however, the prior four years in Boston were all pretty good, and if he had similar production for the White Sox, he could be one of the best right fielders they’ve had in a decade or so.
Last year Verdugo hit .233 with 13 homeruns and 61 RBIs. While those numbers aren’t great, he is a career .272 hitter, so last year was clearly an outlier for him. His best year in Boston came in 2020, where he finished 12th in MVP voting. That year he hit .308 with six home runs and 15 RBIs. He had 2.1 WAR in just 53 games, which would have put him on pace for an impressive 6 WAR season.
On top of being a solid hitter for most of his career, Verdugo is an elite fielder. Baseball Savant ranks him in the mid 90th percentile in arm value and strength, while he is in the 76th percentile for outs above average in the outfield. The White Sox could use that, as they haven’t had the best outfield defense, especially in right field.
Verdugo is still just 28, so he is still in the prime of his career. If he were to sign with the White Sox, he could thrive in a low pressure environment where he could get back to the basics, and the White Sox would be a perfect fit.
In Bowden’s article, he suggested a two year, 26 million dollar contract. I’m not sure if the White Sox would be interested in Verdugo at that price range, but if they are able to get off Benintendi’s salary, I am sure they would be okay giving 10+ million for two or less years.
Verdugo could slot in the middle of the White Sox lineup and would provide a veteran presence in the clubhouse, as he has been around some of the best teams in baseball in his career.
