White Sox: 3 free agents to sign and 1 to avoid this offseason
By Scott Rogust
The Chicago White Sox should pursue these three free agents, but avoid this one player in particular.
The rebuild finally ended for the Chicago White Sox in 2020, as they managed to clinch their first postseason berth since 2008. After a rather successful campaign, the organization showed the league they fully intend on contending for the World Series in 2021 by hiring Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa.
This MLB Hot Stove season has been rather slow, not counting the San Diego Padres adding Blake Snell and Yu Darvish. That gives a team like the White Sox to take advantage of the slow market and add some talent to help push them over the edge in a rather wide open American League.
With that in mind, here are three free agents the White Sox should sign and one they should avoid at all costs.
Jake Odorizzi. SP. Minnesota Twins. 3.. player. 2. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
When looking at the White Sox starting rotation, they have two huge names in Lucas Giolito and Dallas Keuchel. The team already made a huge splash by acquiring Lance Lynn from the Texas Rangers, but they can afford to add another veteran arm to the rotation to help them in playoff situations.
Jake Odorizzi should be a name the White Sox target this offseason.
2020 wasn’t an ideal year for Odorizzi, as he hit the injured list three times due to a back strain, a chest contusion and a blister on his middle finger. That limited the right-hander to 13.2 innings of work. While the 2020 season will be fresh in many minds, let’s not forget that Odorizzi was the ace of the Twins in 2019. That year, Odorizzi (15-7) recorded a 3.51 ERA and 178 strikeouts over 159.0 innings of work. Not to mention the right-hander made the All-Star team and helped lead the Twins to their first AL Central title since 2010.
The pitching market is a bit weak this time around, but Odorizzi is firmly located in the tier below Trevor Bauer. If the White Sox truly want to contend for the World Series, they should consider adding him before spring training takes place.