Topping White Sox general manager Rick Hahn’s to-do list is hiring a manager to replace Rick Renteria, whom he fired last Monday with a year left on his contract.
After that – and Hahn can’t talk to certain candidates, including former Astros manager AJ Hinch, who is believed to be at the top of that Sox list – until after the World Series.
After a manager is in place, the all-important matter of constructing the roster for a deeper postseason run will demand attention.
Who will be gone?
Closer Alex Colome and catcher James McCann are free agents, and 37-year-old designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion ($12M) and infielder/outfielder Leury Garcia ($3.5M) have club options on their contracts.
McCann, the beyond capable backup to $73 million starter Yasmani Grandal and a part-time DH, will want starter status and money and is most likely gone, judging by the tenor of his last interview after the Sox’ season ending loss to the Athletics in the Wild Card. Encarnacion, the latest in a line of failed Sox DH remedies, won’t be renewed but Garcia should be.
The loss of Colome, who would be one of the top free agent relievers on the market if the Sox don’t hand him a $18.9 million qualifying offer, would be significant but the Sox figure to allocate free-agent cash elsewhere with left-hander Aaron Bummer and righty Codi Heuer possessing ninth-inning ability. And 101-102 mph rookie Garrett Crochet, whose path to starting might go through the bullpen as Chris Sale’s did, has lockdown stuff.
Left-hander Gio Gonzalez won’t be back.
To tender or non-tender contracts decisions must be made on these arbitration eligibles, with approximate 2021 salaries based on MLB Trade Rumors projections: Outfielders Nomar Mazara ($5.6 - $5.9 million) and Adam Engel ($1 million), lefthanders Carlos Rodon ($4.5 million) and Jace Fry ($900,000) and right-handers Reynaldo Lopez ($2 million), Lucas Giolito ($2.5 – $5.3 million) and Evan Marshall ($1.3 - $1.9 million).
Rodon might be too risky because of his health history and Mazara (one home run) was a disappointment. Giolito, Marshall and Engel will be tendered and Fry stands a good chance of joining them. Lopez wasn’t good enough to make the postseason roster, and appears to be on the bubble.
What will be new?
Hahn has cited DH, right field and starting pitching as areas needing upgrades.
“The fact is, we didn’t quite get the production out of right field or DH that we wanted this year,” he said.
Prospect Andrew Vaughn, an offensively skilled first baseman, has the DH spot within his grasp, a role that could be shared with Eloy Jimenez if the defensively challenged left fielder is spelled by say, former Gold Glove finalist Adam Engel, in suitable matchups. Right field? George Springer is a prized free agent if the Sox are willing to spend big.
With McCann likely gone, next up on the depth chart are Zack Collins (1-for-16 last season) and minor league slugger Yermin Mercedes, both of whom are challenged defensively, as options to spell Grandal. A key position, Hahn might want to go outside the organization for a good signal caller.
Perhaps the biggest need, the available pool of young arms such as Dylan Cease, Michael Kopech, Dane Dunning, Jonathan Stiever notwithstanding, is starting pitching after Giolito and Dallas Keuchel.
Free agents include right-handers Trevor Bauer, Kevin Gausman, Marcus Stroman, , Taijuan Walker, Jake Odorizzi and left-handers Jose Quintana (reunion!), James Paxton and Mike Minor.
The big question
The timing to spend in free agency, with the core of young talent coming together and a pressing need in the rotation (see Game 3 of the Wild Card) absolutely makes sense this offseason. But will the Sox spend?
The market is something of an unknown, what with teams losing ticket revenue with no fans attending games in the abbreviated 60-game season, cutting organizational jobs and wondering about ticket sales in 2021 as a second wave of the coronavirus picks up steam this fall.
With industry losses in the billions, Hahn said, “we will wait and see how the market plays out.”
“The bummer is that we’re not immune, unfortunately, to the reality of what’s going on around us.”
"make" - Google News
October 24, 2020 at 08:00PM
https://ift.tt/3kDtnpO
White Sox have decisions, additions to make this offseason - Chicago Sun-Times
"make" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2WG7dIG
https://ift.tt/2z10xgv
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "White Sox have decisions, additions to make this offseason - Chicago Sun-Times"
Post a Comment