Tuesday marks the beginning of general managers’ meetings in Carlsbad, California but White Sox brass are already talking. Rick Hahn said earlier in the year that the White Sox would be free to pursue missing pieces they can fill through free agency, even cryptically alluding to deep financial pockets in doing so. Hahn added new weight to those statements on Saturday in an article posted by Sun-Times writer Daryl Van Schouwen.
“We need to augment both the starting rotation and the bullpen,” Hahn told Van Schouwen. “We’re still going to remain true to our long-term focus and build on what we’ve accumulated for the future but we are fully aware there are needs we need to address in the coming weeks and months.”
This kind of statement is sure to charge up the White-Sox fanbase leading into free agency. Although to move to acquire Manny Bañuelos from the Los Angeles Dodgers this week may not have made quite a media-ripple, the low-level move follows through on a low risk, high reward position Hahn has become known for. Bañuelos is 27 years old and spent the entire 2018 season in Triple-A posting a 3.55 earned run average spread over 18 starts on his way to mid- and postseason All-Star nods.
“He’s versatile enough to fill a starting or bullpen role,” Hahn said. “We saw an opportunity to pick up some depth and decided to move on it. It’s not going to stop us from making other adds.’’
Bañuelos adds left-handed depth to the pitching staff, an area that has been sorely needed for the past two years. Still, there are plenty of other options drifting in this year’s free-agent class. The White Sox are sure to kick the tires on Charlie Morton, Dallas Keuchel, Drew Pomeranz and Nathan Eovaldi this offseason, and a reunion with Gio Gonzalez should not be ignored either.
Pile all of this onto the wealth of prospect depth rising through the minor leagues and a blooming rotation of talent that is still very young and the White Sox should be gleefully excited for the future. There is even more optimism around the possibility of plucking Manny Machado or Bryce Harper out of free agency and with the purge of contracts over the past two seasons Hahn feels the team is financially positioned to make a splash.
“It’s not unintentional having the flexibility we enjoy going forward,’’ Hahn said. “That was a secondary goal of the rebuild, to make sure we had flexibility and economic strength when the time was right to spend and add on to what we’ve accumulated. Whether we use it this offseason or next we’ll see.’’
“As to whether we’ll be ready to contend, a lot of that depends on the moves we make this offseason,’’ Hahn said in late September.
Given the news that the Cleveland Indians are taking calls on just about everyone of their players and the general malaise in the American League Central, it’s not outside the realm of possibility for the White Sox to ascend to the top of the division. Even with the expected roster churn and player turnover, a decent smattering the future nucleus is in Chicago and will serve the master of sustained success earlier rather than later. Hahn added that a decent amount of “groundwork” is laid for future deals at the upcoming meetings this week in anticipation for the Winter Meetings in early December. But it’s always important to take a deep breath before jumping to conclusions knowing the Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs and Phillies will be lurking around the market shallows with deep pockets.
“Teams are comparing notes [at the GM meetings] and casting a wide net to get a better sense of what is possible in the coming weeks and months,” Hahn said.
“It sort of marks the official start to the offseason where you start getting more substantive in terms of potential fits and trades. That always gets some excitement going.”
Indeed it does. Let’s all try to contain our excitement.
