As the MLB season winds down, the Chicago White Sox are putting the finishing touches on a campaign of rapid growth and incredible improvement. They have already won 17 more games than in 2024, but puts their win total at a whopping... 58, with five more games left.
Okay, so yeah, the White Sox are still an abomination to the sport, but it could be a lot worse (not really, but you know... it could). Chicago has brought up two burgeoning stars in Colson Montgomery and Kyle Teel, both of whom appear ready to lead the White Sox toward a brighter (?) future. At least something positive is happening.
For many players on the roster, however, this offseason presents a wonderful opportunity to get the heck out of dodge. Whether it's via trade or free agency, you can be a good chunk of current White Sox would prefer to play meaningful baseball past May. And, with no clear sense of direction or any imminent chances of contention, you can bet GM Chris Getz will gladly listen to all trade offers — and probably let several free agents walk without so much as lifting a finger. It's the White Sox way, baby. Gotta save that cash.
Let's dive into a few White Sox who are potentially playing their final games on the South Side.
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White Sox free agents who are halfway out the door already
The overwhelming majority of Chicago's roster is either in arbitration or, in rare cases, signed to a long term contract. The White Sox aren't really in the business of dropping short-term deals on win-now veterans, but there are still a few noteworthy names slated to hit the open market this winter.
OF Michael A. Taylor
Michael A. Taylor's production has plummeted in recent months, but he's still a functional platoon bat and a former Gold Glove winner in the outfield. At 34, he's probably approaching the end of the road in MLB, so he's better off spending his remaining professional tenure in a more competitive environment.
He's only hitting .199 with a .671 OPS and 71 OPS+, and to be frank, the bump in production against lefties (.226 with a .690 OPS) probably isn't enough to leave prospective suitors swooning. But, in a league where depth is in constant demand, Taylor has the pedigree and the allure of a functional bat in certain matchups. He is also a plus defender in centerfield, in the 84th percentile with three outs above average, which is enough to make him at least a replacement-level backup somewhere.
He won't get much more than the $1.9 million Chicago paid him this season, but he's probably inclined to chase that money elsewhere.
LHP Martín Pérez
Martín Pérez has 14 solid years under his belt in MLB. An All-Star in 2022 and a World Series champ with the Texas Rangers in 2023, Pérez is no longer a front-of-rotation guy. But he can still put up solid numbers as a fourth or fifth starter, perhaps for a contender in need of back-end depth.
Pérez inked a one-year, $5 million contract with the White Sox last winter, which includes a $10 million mutual option for 2026. While Pérez's numbers ain't half bad for such a price tag — 3.54 ERA and 1.11 WHIP, 44 strikeouts in 56.0 innings — he has been limited to only 11 games (10 starts) due to injury. The White Sox are not a team to splurge, so it feels natural that Chicago would decline its half of the option and let Pérez hit free agency.
The southpaw can still dial it up when right, but he has a long track record of injury problems and he's just not dependable. I'd expect him to latch on elsewhere with a one-year deal, hopefully on a team with a bit more ambition to win games and give him another shot at competing in October.
White Sox trade candidates who are all but gone
OF Luis Robert Jr.
We could slot Luis Robert Jr. into the free agency category, but he has a $20 million club option for 2026. On the surface, he's just not worth it after back-to-back disappointing campaigns. But Chicago deliberately held out on trade deadline overtures, signaling to the league that it would pick up his option and revisit trade possibilities in the offseason. It doesn't really make sense for the White Sox to waste $20 million on a replacement-level bat, but Robert is a former All-Star. It makes even less sense to keep him through the deadline if the plan is to let him walk scot free in a few months.
After his breakout campaign in 2023, which saw Robert finish 12th in AL MVP voting and take home a Silver Slugger award, his production has cratered for largely inexplicable reasons. Some of it might be injury, some of it might just be the residual malaise inherent to playing for the god forsaken White Sox. But something needs to change, quickly. He finishes the 2025 campaign with a .223 average and .661 OPS with 14 home runs in 110 games.
Robert still has power and he's a potent threat in righty-on-lefty matchups — he has an .842 OPS in 93 at-bats against southpaws this season. He's also a great defender in centerfield. So there's value aplenty, if not quite $20 million worth. Teams will view him as a large expiring contract and, essentially, an upside swing. The White Sox need to end this marriage before it spoils further, though. Another season marred by inconsistency will drop the potential trade return even lower by the 2026 deadline,
OF Mike Tauchman
Mike Tauchman relocated from the North Side to the South Side last offseason. His production has remained virtually the same, as this was his third straight season with an OPS north of .720 and an OPS+ north of 105. He's an above-average bat (if only slightly), making smart swing decisions at the plate and drawing a ton of walks. He's basically a net-zero in right field — not a spectacular defender, but plenty functional.
The 34-year-old, in his eighth MLB season, has one more year of arbitration until he hits free agency. Chicago can keep him around at an affordable price next season, but it feels like the right decision to float Tauchman to more ready-now contenders in need of outfield depth. They aren't hard to find. He gets on base a lot and would feel a lot more helpful with better teammates behind him in the lineup.
OF Andrew Benintendi
Andrew Benintendi inked a five-year, $75 million contract that runs through 2027, with $17.1 million on the books next season. Chicago has multiple years of club control left and Benintendi is enjoying his best individual campaign with the White Sox. But that's precisely why it's time to spring on trade options; Chicago should maximize value by trading Benintendi while the 31-year-old is still controllable and producing at a high level.
He's hitting .240 with a .738 OPS and 104 OPS+. Benintendi keeps strikeouts to a minimum and can ratchet up the power, with 20 home runs on the year — his second straight 20-home run campaign and the third of his career, with a few games left to establish a new personal best.
Benintendi is a liability in the field and may be better viewed as a primary DH, which limits appeal on the trade front, but Chicago should be able to find a taker — especially if the White Sox absorb a little bit of his remaining salary. While Benintendi is liked on the South Side and a valuable presence for the club, his best use to the team would be as a trade chip. You can be Chicago would like to get off of its most expensive contract.