White Sox now have another hole to fill with latest free agency decision

Former Chicago White Sox outfielder A.J. Pollock is officially a free agent entering the 2023 season, which leaves Chicago with a hole to fill.

Former Chicago White Sox outfielder A.J. Pollock has officially become a free agent for 2023 after declining his $13 million option and receiving a $5 million buyout instead, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.

Pollock has much more potential than he showed this season in Chicago, and unfortunately, the White Sox have a lot more development to do to become contenders. Pollock may not have been the best player on the team this season, but it’ll still leave a hole for the White Sox to fill when they have other areas to focus on, particularly their rotation and bullpen. They could use work in the lineup too, and Pollock offered a lot of potential there.

Though they could either dish out money to keep Pollock or replace him with another outfield free agent that wouldn’t break the bank as much as someone like Aaron Judge, it still takes away from what they could be spending for a pitcher like Jacob deGrom or Justin Verlander, or a slugger like Judge himself.

Andrew Vaughn seems to be the best replacement at right field for current members of the team, but there’s not much relief if he gets injured or needs backup at any point next season. It’d be smart to invest in another outfielder for the sake of having a solid backup plan, but it makes the roster construction much more difficult for 2023.

The White Sox have been alarmingly unsuccessful since the beginning of the franchise in 1903, making the playoffs only 11 times. They’re only seeming to continuously face difficult situations in the development of their team.

A.J. Pollock’s free agency is less than ideal for the White Sox

Pollock’s departure will free up some payroll, but it’ll also ultimately leave less room for flexibility. They have some great players sticking around, and there wasn’t a dire need for another outfielder with Pollock, though they could improve. He wasn’t holding the team back, and they certainly could’ve focused on improving his spot at a later time.

The White Sox’s last World Series win was in 2005, and they’ve only made the playoffs three times since then. Prior, they had only made the playoffs three times between their 2005 win and their second-most recent World Series appearance in 1959. Having made the playoffs two consecutive seasons in 2020 and 2021 was a big deal, and it proves they’re doing something right.

However, they need more if they want to make it. Though Pollock’s free agency may not seem like a big deal, it creates a huge hole in overall sustainability.