The White Sox Offseason Clock Is Ticking — and the Board Is Thinning

If we know anything about the Major League Baseball offseason, it’s that it’s a slow burn.

The offseason is long, and it often takes months upon months for free agents to settle into their new homes. Some of the top talents wait well into the new year—sometimes even brushing up against Spring Training—before signing.

Just because a team hasn’t made significant moves by December 15 doesn’t mean it’s headed for a dormant offseason.

But with each passing day, Chicago White Sox fans grow more impatient.

Sox fans have never been under the illusion that this was going to be an especially active winter. After three straight 100-loss seasons, the White Sox simply aren’t in position to land the top free agents on the market.

If Chicago signs a notable free agent, it will be for one of two reasons: either they were the only team truly interested, or they paid the “suck tax” by offering significantly more money than other suitors.

That’s what it would take to land players like Ryan O’Hearn, Pete Fairbanks, or other coveted free agents who make sense on paper.

And yet—that’s exactly what they should be doing.

The White Sox have expressed a great deal of confidence in their young roster taking another step forward in 2026. Manager Will Venable believes “there is no ceiling” for what this team can become next season, and a young, unified clubhouse is eager to play more meaningful baseball.

GM Chris Getz knows that 2026 is about supplementing the young core and putting it in position to win. The best way to foster growth, however, is by surrounding young players with capable veterans.

Veteran hitters who grind out professional at-bats and manufacture runs. Starting pitchers who can work deep into games and consistently provide quality starts. Relievers who can protect a lead when it matters most.

Chicago should absolutely be in on flyers and low-risk, high-reward signings. But they need to do more than collect reclamation projects and call it a day.

Unfortunately, many of their top targets and potential fits have already come off the board.

Josh Bell signed with the Minnesota Twins on Monday. He wasn’t at the top of my list for first-base targets, but he was a reasonable fallback option if the White Sox failed to land Ryan O’Hearn or Nathaniel Lowe.

The need in right field remains glaring. Adolis García made a ton of sense due to his athleticism, defensive ability, and power upside—especially as a strong one-year deal candidate. Mike Yastrzemski was also on the radar. He’s a fairly consistent left-handed bat who fits comfortably in a corner outfield spot.

Both options are now gone.

García signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, while Yastrzemski agreed to a two-year contract with the Atlanta Braves last week.

The White Sox have been adamant that they are not done adding to their starting rotation. A proven arm would go a long way, but one known target—right-hander Dustin May—recently signed with the St. Louis Cardinals.

That brings us to the closer market.

I entered the offseason optimistic that the White Sox would add a proven closer. I no longer believe that will happen. Instead, it appears they’ll settle for a veteran reliever with a solid track record—but limited closing experience.

Chris Getz all but confirmed that direction at the Winter Meetings in Orlando.

“We’re looking to help our bullpen,” Getz said. “There’s different ways of doing that. I wouldn’t say it’s a set closer, so to speak. It would be nice to get someone who has closer experience, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a ninth-inning guy, or even an eighth-inning guy. Someone that can help in higher-leverage situations is something that we’re set out to add.”

There you have it.

Not necessarily a ninth-inning guy. Maybe not even an eighth-inning guy. That’s not exactly what White Sox fans had in mind—especially given how obvious the need is. The team hasn’t had a pitcher reach double-digit saves since Liam Hendriks in 2022.

Kenley Jansen signing with the Tigers further narrowed the market.

Ryan Helsley went to the Orioles. Raisel Iglesias returned to the Braves. Robert Suárez joined him in Atlanta. Devin Williams landed with the Mets. Edwin Díaz signed with the Dodgers. Emilio Pagán re-upped with the Reds. Kyle Finnegan returned to Detroit.

When free agency opened, more than 10 pitchers with recent closing success were available. Now, Pete Fairbanks and Kirby Yates are the only true “closers” still unsigned.

There is a path for the White Sox to address their needs and inject some energy into Opening Day. Maybe they land O’Hearn, Fairbanks, a corner outfielder like Max Kepler, and one more starting pitcher before it’s all said and done.

Maybe they swing a Luis Robert Jr. trade and add another infusion of young talent to the core.

It’s possible.

But with more targets finding new homes by the day, it increasingly feels like the walls are closing in on the White Sox.