Chris Getz Says the White Sox Will Spend — Here’s What That Should Look Like

The reaction to the Chicago White Sox trading Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets was unsurprisingly split.

Some White Sox fans feel it was a voluntary step backward for the club — selling low in order to cut payroll and dumping the salary of one of their more valuable assets. Others feel it was necessary, a sign that it was time to move on, and a productive opportunity for the White Sox to reallocate the $20 million salary Robert was owed in 2026.

I’ve argued for the former. I don’t subscribe to the idea that the White Sox needed to trade Luis Robert Jr. in order to have financial flexibility to bring in free agents. The payroll sat at $87 million before the trade. It now sits at $67 million — the lowest in Major League Baseball.

The only reason the White Sox “needed to move money” to have the freedom to sign players is because of the embarrassingly low payroll that owner Jerry Reinsdorf is permitting for a team that has publicly claimed it wants to take a step forward in 2026.

Reminder: Reinsdorf sat in front of the media after a disappointing 2023 season and said he did not want 2024 to be a rebuild, and that he intended to get back to contention swiftly.

So much for that.

I believe Reinsdorf should have permitted additional spending regardless of Robert’s status. But what’s done is done — and I’ll play ball.

GM Chris Getz, who in my opinion has done a commendable job of slowly turning the tide of the franchise, spoke to the media Wednesday morning and stated very clearly that he expects the White Sox to remain "very active" this offseason.

Chicago intends to use some of the $20 million freed up from Robert’s salary on free-agent additions that will help this year’s team.

“It’s incumbent upon them to go out and use this money wisely and bring back some good players for this 2026 team. Many White Sox fans doubt that they’ll do that. I think that’s exactly what they’ll do,” said MLB insider Bruce Levine on 670 The Score earlier this week. “They’ll bring in a couple players that can help them win and use that money in a way that moves them toward the future rather than being stagnant in the present.”

Again, these are moves that should’ve been done anyway. But let’s just say the Sox aren't satisfied and have more coming.

What free agents are actually out there? And what moves could they make to make the offseason, in totality, feel complete? The current roster isn’t one that can reasonably be expected to be competitive. There are holes all across the board — most notably in the outfield and the pitching staff.

Here’s a look at possible free-agent fits for the White Sox who remain unsigned and could leave fans feeling satisfied with the team’s offseason haul.

The list of viable major-league outfielders is dwindling by the day. There are only a few signings the White Sox could make that would feel like legitimate upgrades beyond the “former top-prospect reclamation project” mold they’ve already leaned into this winter.

The most prominent name on that list is center fielder Harrison Bader — a player Bruce Levine quickly brought up during the aforementioned 670 The Score appearance. White Sox fans have understandably run with that as the hot name.

Bader is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, hitting 17 home runs with a .796 OPS split between the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies.

However, it’s usually unadvisable to sign a player — especially one over 30 years old — coming off an outlier season.

In 2024, Bader posted a .657 OPS with the New York Mets. It was .620 in 2023 between the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds, and .650 the year before between the Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals.

Only once since the 2021 season has Bader produced above-average offensive numbers. That’s not to say he can’t repeat his 2025 success with a team like the White Sox, but at a projected investment of two years and $20 million (per Spotrac’s market value), it’s fair to question how much better they'd actually be getting.

Many of Bader's advanced metrics don’t reflect favorably on his ability to sustain those 2025 numbers. Bader ranks in the bottom 20 percent of hitters in expected batting average, squared-up percentage, chase rate, strikeout rate, average exit velocity, and xwOBA.

Oof. That’s… a bit concerning for a player who could eat up half of the $20 million saved by moving Luis Robert Jr.

I’d also remind everyone that the White Sox are not guaranteed to spend all of that $20 million. Getz simply said “at least some” of the money would be used. And given the financial restrictions at play, I’m not convinced Bader is the best bang for your buck.

I think there are at least two better options out there: Michael Conforto and Austin Hays. Both would fit as corner outfielders capable of handling right or left field — for when Andrew Benintendi is the designated hitter. 

That’s a more intuitive path, because I get the sense the White Sox want to play Luisangel Acuña every day. With the infield already crowded, center field as Robert’s replacement is realistically the only spot for him.

Conforto is coming off the worst year of his professional career, hitting just .199 with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2025 with 12 home runs. But even in that nightmare season, his on-base percentage sat at .305 — higher than players like Brooks Baldwin and Lenyn Sosa.

Conforto would be a classic buy-low option. The White Sox could likely land him on a one-year deal for $5–6 million and hope some of his bat speed and raw power translate back into production. The key difference between him and Bader, in my eyes, is track record. Both had outlier seasons in 2025, but history suggests Conforto is the better offensive bet.

Hays is my favorite option of the group. He’s also projected to receive a one-year contract worth around $5 million.

That’s a bargain for a player coming off a 15-home-run season with a .768 OPS. Hays has been, at worst, a league-average bat every year since 2019 — and at his best, he’s been an All-Star with consistent 15–20 home run power. He’s also a serviceable defender in the outfield.

The starting pitching market may be even more barren than the outfield. There simply aren’t many arms out there that inspire confidence, and those with upside or a strong track record may be priced beyond what the White Sox are willing to spend.

I’d be all for a Lucas Giolito reunion after what he showed down the stretch in 2025 while returning from Tommy John surgery. But with a market value of three years and $60 million, even a one-year deal for Giolito could consume the entire value of Robert Jr.’s contract.

Chris Bassitt is another productive veteran, but he too likely falls outside the White Sox’s budget.

That probably leaves Chicago shopping in a tier that includes bringing back Martín Pérez, signing José Quintana, or taking a chance on Griffin Canning — despite the fact that he may not pitch until the summer as he recovers from injury.

My best fit — and ideal choice — would be Zack Littell, the 30-year-old right-hander coming off several strong seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds.

As a starter, Littell owns a 21–24 record with a 3.86 ERA. He’s reliable, dependable, and raises the floor of what the White Sox rotation could be in 2026 — an improvement that feels essential if the organization is serious about taking a step forward.

The fit may be tough financially. Littell is projected to receive a three-year, $39 million contract, an annual salary of $13 million. But on paper, he checks a lot of boxes for Chicago. His bullpen experience also adds flexibility if White Sox prospects eventually take over rotation spots and Littell needs to shift roles.

There are still several bullpen options available who could help the White Sox without requiring top-dollar commitments.

Scott Barlow, John King, Taylor Rogers, and Tommy Kahnle are all projected to sign one-year deals for under $5 million.

Barlow is my favorite of the group. His metrics are excellent, ranking in the 99th percentile in hard-hit percentage in 2025. He also has experience as a closer with the Kansas City Royals and would serve as an ideal backup plan if Jordan Leasure or Grant Taylor aren’t ready for that responsibility.

The issue the White Sox may run into is addressing all three glaring needs while staying under budget. Again, Getz never promised that all of the money from Robert Jr.’s contract would be spent.

Considering Chicago remained dormant while Robert was still on the roster — but has since circled back to contact remaining free agents — it’s reasonable to assume the $87 million payroll they sat at before the trade is close to the maximum Reinsdorf is willing to allow.

It may prove challenging to land a reliable starting pitcher, an outfielder with real offensive upside, and a bullpen arm for a total of $20 million or less.

I tried to stay within those constraints with my ideal selections: Austin Hays for one year at approximately $5 million, Zack Littell at a $13 million annual salary, and Scott Barlow for $2–3 million would fill all three needs right around that cost.

Obviously, these are estimates, and ironically three players who finished the 2025 season with the Cincinnati Reds. But perhaps it can be done.

One thing I know for sure is that every White Sox fan — whether they supported or opposed the Luis Robert Jr. trade — will be watching closely to see how Chicago uses its resources.

It’s clear they still have work to do, and the pressure is on.