White Sox “Aggressive” in Pursuit of Free Agent Starting Pitchers

Even after signing left-hander Anthony Kay to a two-year, $12 million contract in early December, the Chicago White Sox have made it clear they’re not done adding starting pitching this offseason.

If the White Sox are going to take a legitimate step toward contention, they need more reliable production from their rotation. General manager Chris Getz also understands that Chicago’s stable of young arms needs protection — specifically, veteran innings that can stabilize a staff still finding its footing.

White Sox fans, however, aren’t satisfied with “innings eaters” anymore. The fanbase is ready to watch more competitive baseball.

That doesn’t mean the White Sox need to be a playoff team in 2026. But it does mean it’s time to start building around the core with players on multi-year contracts.

For years now, the offseason routine has been the same. The White Sox sign a reclamation project or a high-upside veteran to a one-year deal, hoping to flip him at the trade deadline. That logic makes sense in the early stages of a rebuild. At some point, though, you have to start acquiring players you actually plan to keep.

White Sox fans want their next rotation addition to be a legitimate, proven arm on a multi-year deal — and they might be getting exactly that.

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the White Sox are among the teams being aggressive in their pursuit of mid-tier starting pitching.

“Depending on prices, truly every team could target this tier. Among those who have been the most aggressive in mid-tier pursuit, according to sources: the White Sox, Orioles, Angels, Nationals, Mets, Padres, and Diamondbacks.” (via Passan)

Pitchers in that tier include former White Sox ace Lucas Giolito, along with Nick Martinez, Zack Littell, Tyler Mahle, and even future Hall of Famers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.

There’s no expectation that Scherzer or Verlander will sign with the White Sox. Both are likely looking for one more opportunity to win a World Series before retirement — and even the most optimistic White Sox fan knows that isn’t on the table for Chicago in 2026.

That kind of veteran leadership would undoubtedly help a young staff, but it also wouldn’t satisfy fans hoping for a true multi-year investment.

Giolito, Martinez, and Littell, on the other hand, would all make sense. The question, as Passan noted, is price.

So far, the starting pitching market has clearly favored players. Adrian Houser landed $22 million over two years from the San Francisco Giants. Dustin May received $12.5 million on a one-year deal from the St. Louis Cardinals — a steep price for a pitcher whose career has been defined by injuries and who posted an ERA just under 5.00 last season.

Giolito could easily command $20 million annually on a three- or four-year deal. We’re simply not accustomed to seeing the White Sox spend at that level. The $75 million deal given to Andrew Benintendi remains the largest contract in franchise history.

Still, between this report and the ongoing Munetaka Murakami rumors, White Sox fans are allowing themselves to believe the organization may finally be turning a corner in its free-agency approach.

I’ll believe it when I see it.

But for now, it’s at least encouraging to know the White Sox have been aggressive in negotiations and aren’t simply sleeping through the most active phase of the offseason. The organization appears to be just as restless as the fanbase — and that, at minimum, is a start.