Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable predicts "a lot of moves" coming up later this offseason.
Chicago White Sox fans are conditioned not to expect much when it comes to free agency.
This fanbase just watched what was supposed to be a golden era of White Sox baseball squandered because ownership refused to finish the rebuild with an all-in approach on the open market.
The White Sox rebuilt their core, then chose to bet almost exclusively on internal development—hoping their top prospects would all turn into stars—rather than surrounding them with established, proven talent.
The result? Two years of competitive baseball, followed by a rapid collapse into one of the worst teams ever assembled.
We all hope the White Sox have learned their lesson. But history has given fans little choice but to expect more of the same.
Bargain-bin hunting in recent winters—including so far this offseason—hasn’t exactly inspired confidence that things will suddenly be different.
That’s why new manager Will Venable’s recent comments struck a chord with White Sox fans. For the first time in a while, someone in the organization is saying exactly what they want to hear. Whether it turns out to be genuine optimism or false hope remains to be seen.
“I anticipate there being a lot of moves here coming up. Just like there will be across the league, knowing there is so much time. But at the same time, we are really excited about the group we have,” Venable said during a Zoom interview with White Sox media this week. (via Scott Merkin)
At first glance, that quote might not seem like much. But Venable’s choice of words matters—particularly leading with “I anticipate there being a lot of moves.”
We have to assume Venable is plugged into the organization’s internal process and free-agent discussions, and it could be foreshadowing a more aggressive second half of the offseason after a relatively quiet start.
That’s the key point White Sox fans need to remember: the MLB offseason is a marathon, not a sprint. Just because Chicago hasn’t made a splash by December 20 doesn’t mean the roster will remain largely unchanged heading into Opening Day.
The foundation of this team will be the young core that showed real promise in 2025. That’s how the White Sox believe they’ll take the next step forward. But as currently constructed, this roster could still flirt with another 100-loss season.
What Chicago does between now and Opening Day will determine whether real progress is on the table in 2026—or whether this is simply more talk without follow-through.
Bring in Munetaka Murakami or Ryan O'Hearn. Go get a starting pitcher like Lucas Giolito. Build a team White Sox fans can get excited to watch play.
Venable’s optimism is encouraging. But for a fanbase burned too many times before, it won’t mean anything until it’s backed up by action.