Shoutout to the guys over at Sox Machine. They have a template for White Sox fans to put together their own offseason plan. Read all the details here and submit your own. We, mostly SouthsideZo, at the Pinwheels And Ivy Podcast made our own White Sox offseason plan and well it got a little wild. Not too crazy, but maybe crazy enough to work?
Basically the only parameters that we had to follow was keeping the White Sox’s 2023 payroll at about $190 million, which was the team’s payroll in 2022.
Here are the biggest moves in the Pinwheels And Ivy Podcast White Sox offseason plan.
White Sox Free Agent Signings
Brandon Drury – 3 years, $19 million + incentives
Boom. The White Sox have a new starting second baseman.
Cody Bellinger – 2 years, $32 million
This is assuming the Dodgers non-tender Cody Bellinger. He’s been pretty bad since his 2019 MVP season, but you’re obviously hoping for a big bounce back from the left-handed hitter. We’ll slot Bellinger in as the Opening Day right fielder, which also relieves pressure from Oscar Colas being catapulted into the spotlight immediately in 2023.
Trade Liam Hendriks
In order to sign those free agents we had to shed some money from the books and the guy SouthsideZo targeted as a trade piece is closer Liam Hendriks. He’ll be making a little more than $14 million in 2023 and hey why not keep trading with the Dodgers. The White Sox will receive 25-year-old starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot in return from the Dodgers. Pepiot made his MLB debut for Los Angeles in 2022, and posted a 3.47 ERA in 36.1 innings. The right-hander was selected in the third round of the 2019 draft out of Butler.
White Sox Free Agents Leaving
The two main free agents we have leaving the White Sox are José Abreu and Johnny Cueto. We’re also saying goodbye to Elvis Andrus and Josh Harrison.
2023 White Sox Starters
C – Yasmani Grandal
1B – Andrew Vaughn
2B – Brandon Drury
SS – Tim Anderson
3B – Yoan Moncada
LF – AJ Pollock
CF – Luis Robert
RF – Cody Bellinger
DH – Eloy Jimenez
2023 White Sox Rotation
Dylan Cease
Lance Lynn
Lucas Giolito
Michael Kopech
Ryan Pepiot
So, how’d we do. (Direct all angry messages at @SouthsideZo)
And check out this week’s episode of the Pinwheels And Ivy Podcast to listen to our discussion on this White Sox offseason plan. Oh and we talked about new White Sox manager Pedro Grifol, too!
i just read your blurb on the cubs, there were 3 different ones. you’ll never have that with the white sox cause they are owned by Jerry Reinsdorf. the second baseman your talking about we can get on the cheap. anyone on your staff think about trea turner?
Graverman closes? Loved Belanger before the injuries. Like to see Pollock as 4th outfielder!
How did AJ Pollack workout? We’ll See changes but a player and there will only chase thw wild card position.
Like the idea of Belli, but far too much money and I wouldn’t lock myself into two years. 1 year make-good, with a team option for a 2nd year at a much higher salary. So overall, could approach your numbers, but with less risk for the Sox. Plus, Colas is probably less than a year away, let alone two. Too bad there wouldn’t be any takers for Kelly and Diekmann, though. Hendriks is one of those guys who’s actually done his job since coming over.
Now do the Cubs