sharon_orn
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In his first offseason as White Sox GM, Chris Getz made four key trades and a series of small free agent deals as the team enters another rebuilding phase. Major League Signings , SP: , $15MM , RP: , $5.5MM (including buyout of 2025 mutual option) , C: , $4.25MM (including buyout of 2025 club option) , RP: , $1.8MM , SS: , $1.75MM , SP: , $1.75MM 2024 spending: $20.8MM Total spending: $30.05MM Options Exercised None Trades and Claims RP off waivers from Rangers SP , SP , IF , IF , and SP from Braves for RP SP from Red Sox in Rule 5 draft C and $6.26MM from Braves for a player to be named later cash from Mets for RP OF from Angels for SP RP , OF , and 2024 Competitive Balance Round B draft pick for RP OF off waivers from Orioles. Later by Orioles off waivers RP from Cubs for SP SP , SP , OF , and RP from Padres for Notable Minor League Signings , , , , , , , , , , , Extensions None Notable Lo ses Dylan Cease, , , Gregory Santos, Aaron Bummer, , , , , , I was skeptical of White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf saying, We want to get better as fast as we po sibly can, as part of the justification for hiring internal GM candidate Chris Getz without conducting outside interviews. It was just too tall of an order for a team that lacked talent and has an owner averse to big free agent contracts. Based on the moves Getz ended up making in his first offseason as GM, a quick turnaround and 2024 contention were never actually the goals. Given Liam Hendriks August Tommy John surgery, the White Sox chose to decline his $15MM option for 2024, instead triggering a buyout in the same amount that will be paid out over the next decade. The club also declined their $14MM club option on Tim Anderson, paying a $1MM buyout after finding no takers via trade. This outcome was unsurprising after Andersons abysmal 2023. The White Sox opted for a cheap defensive-minded veteran replacement at shortstop, signing free agent Paul DeJong in November. Andersons eight-year White Sox career officially ended when he inked a $5MM deal with the Marlins in February. Though Getz chose to retain manager Pedro Grifol, the Sox early in the offseason, bringing in Marcus Thames as hitting coach and also adding Grady Sizemore, Drew Butera, Matt Wise, and Jason Bourgeois. Getz also dropped this memorable line to the media: I dont like our team. Getz would go on to back up that statement by giving the White Sox a major makeover. The first strike happened in mid-November, with reliever Aaron Bummer getting shipped to Atlanta for a five-player package. Taking advantage of Chicagos lack of depth, four of the five players acquired were on the 40-man roster. It was a whole lot of players the Braves didnt need. The biggest name, Mike Soroka, may have otherwise wound up non-tendered. But as a $3MM flier for a threadbare White Sox rotation, Soroka fits. Shuster provides another backend rotation candidate; hell start the season at Triple-A. Given that Bummer was coming off a 6.79 ERA and rebuilding teams dont have much need for decently-compensated relievers anyway, sending him off for depth pieces was a solid first trade for Getz. The White Soxs biggest free agent offseason expenditure came during the Winter Meetings with the signing of Erick Fedde. The l likely be lurking as his potential platoon partner or backup. The Fletcher addition fits with Getzs stated goal of improving the teams defense. Aside from Fletcher, the Sox have improved up the middle with DeJong, Nicky Lopez, and Maldonado. Groundballers like Fedde and Soroka should appreciate that, and defense is generally much cheaper on the market than offense. Of course, a tradeoff has been made, as offensive expectations for Fletcher, DeJong, Lopez, and Maldonado are quite low. On the same day as the Fletcher trade, Getz dealt his best reliever, Gregory Santos, to the Mariners for Prelander Berroa, Zach DeLoach, and the #69 pick in this years draft. The two prospects project as a potential setup man and a fourth outfielder if things go well, and the draft pick will further boost organizational depth. With dim prospects in the short-term, trading away relievers for quality prospects is usually a good move. DeLoach may not have the ideal arm for right field, but as a 25-year-old who played 138 games at Triple-A last year, he could push Fletcher for playing time this year. Of course, those departures leave the White Sox with one of the games shakiest-looking bullpens. New additions Steven Wilson, John Brebbia, and Tim Hill will see high-leverage work. The idea of in the rotation seems to have been abandoned, and the (552votes) A 4.41% (126votes) Total Votes: 2,858 Rafael Ortega Jersey
