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Top O-Line Expert Reveals Who Chicago Bears Likely Take In 1st Round

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears
Sep 2, 2023; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Josh Simmons (71) lines up during the NCAA football game at Indiana University Memorial Stadium. Ohio State won 23-3.

Anybody with common sense knows the Chicago Bears will focus a hefty portion of their resources this off-season on upgrading their offensive line. They likely will replace at least three members of that position group from last season. Brad Biggs said their focus will be on the interior, but finding a left tackle to replace Braxton Jones is also a possibility. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson know preserving the safety of quarterback Caleb William must be their top priority.

That could include using their 10th overall pick in the 1st round. If so, the obvious question is who their target will be once on the clock. Brandon Thorn of Bleacher Report is widely viewed as the best offensive line expert in the mainstream media. He has dug deep into the film of the top names in this class and recently posted his rankings, pinpointing which names are the best at specific aspects like run-blocking, pass-blocking, and so on. His finding may determine who the Bears target in April. It feels like two names are emerging as possibilities.

Offensive Tackles

Best Run-Blocker: Armand Membou
Best Pass-Blocker: Josh Simmons
Best Zone-Blocker: Armand Membou
Most Pro-Ready: Ozzy Trapilo
Most Versatile: Josh Simmons

Interior Offensive Linemen

Best Run-Blocker: Will Campbell
Best Pass-Blocker: Will Campbell
Best Zone-Blocker: Will Campbell
Most Pro-Ready: Tyler Booker
Most Versatile: Grey Zabel

The Chicago Bears’ decision may be determined by their focus.

Free agency will factor into this process. If they secure a top option like Trey Smith in March, it could influence how they decide to approach that 1st round pick. Rather than target another guard, they could feel comfortable going for a tackle like Simmons. Thorn compared him to Christian Darrisaw, the Minnesota Vikings’ dependable left tackle. Many feel he’s on a Pro Bowl trajectory. As for Campbell, his game was likened to David DeCastro, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ former six-time Pro Bowler.

Much of this hinges on Johnson’s thinking of his options at tackle. Right now, it looks like a competition between Braxton Jones and former 3rd round pick Kiran Amegadjie for that spot opposite Darnell Wright. If the Chicago Bears head coach thinks one of them can handle the job, then Campbell will be the pick, presuming he’s available. If not, Simmons becomes a legitimate conversation. It would mark the first time the Bears will have employed two 1st round tackles at the same time since Jimbo Covert and Keith Van Horne in 1991.

Cubs Trade for Reliever Could Lead to Alex Bregman Signing

By
Aldo Soto
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Oct 9, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Ryan Brasier (57) throws a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fourth inning for game two of the NLDS for the 2023 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs missed out on two of their top free agent reliever targets in January and since then they’ve responded by making a pair of trades to help bolster the bullpen. After making a deal for veteran closer Ryan Pressly the Cubs followed up by making a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers for another veteran reliever in Ryan Brasier.

Brasier, 37, was recently designated for assignment by the Dodgers, who had to make room on their roster after they signed Kirby Yates. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported the deal between the Cubs and Dodgers Tuesday night.

In 2024, Brasier posted a 3.54 ERA in 28 innings of work. The righty missed a big chunk of the season because of a calf strain that sidelined him from the end of April until mid-August. When Brasier returned he was great, recording a 2.76 ERA in 16.1 innings.

Brasier signed a two-year, $9 million contract to return to the Dodgers last offseason, when the Cubs also pursued him in free agency. By the way, the Dodgers are also sending some cash to the Cubs along with Brasier to cover some of his $4.5 million salary this season.

So, how does this relate to a potential Alex Bregman signing for the Cubs? Well, after the team traded for Pressly they reportedly were still interested in adding another reliever. David Robertson was a popular name connected to the Cubs, but his cost would probably be double of what the Cubs are now going to pay Brasier.

The Cubs now have Brasier at a lower cost, which could mean they are more willing to offer Bregman a higher annual salary on a shorter deal. Bregman may change his mind on agreeing to a short-term contract if the AAV is in the $30 million range. Right before the Brasier trade was reported on Tuesday rumors of the Cubs offer for Bregman spread online.

According to North Side Baseball writer Matthew Trueblood, the Cubs have an offer on the table for Bregman at about $30 million AAV for four years, including opt outs.

We’ll see if connecting these dots actually leads to a Bregman signing.

Cubs Offer to Alex Bregman Leaked

By
Aldo Soto
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Aug 5, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) comes off the field after he hits a home run against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

For the past couple of weeks we’ve been hearing non-stop how the Chicago Cubs have interest in signing free agent Alex Bregman. There haven’t been many details reported on what the Cubs would be comfortable going to with the lone piece of info being that they would prefer to sign Bregman to a similar contract to the one Cody Bellinger agreed to with the team last offseason. Well, now the Cubs offer to Bregman has leaked.

We finally know what the Cubs have offered Bregman according to Matthew Trueblood, a Cubs writer for North Side Baseball. According to his sources, the Cubs have a four-year deal worth close to $30 per year on the table for Bregman. The contract includes opt-outs as well. What makes the potential offer even more interesting is the possibility that the Cubs can also cancel out one of the opt-outs with a mini-extension of their own.

Via North Side Baseball.

So, right now, the Cubs have a “creative, potentially unprecedented” contract offer out to Bregman, one source said. The deal is believed to be worth around $30 million annually over four years, with multiple opt-outs. Bregman could end up with the right to opt out after any of the first three seasons of the deal.

That could include a counter-option for the Cubs on one of the opt-outs, allowing them to void Bregman’s option by extending him for an extra year or two—similar to the decision they’ll have to make this fall about Shota Imanaga’s oddly-structured deal.

It could also mean that the fourth year is not fully guaranteed, but a vesting option contingent on health or playing time, with a big chunk of the money in Year 3 (2027, the season that could be affected by a work stoppage anyway) pushed out to Year 4 and divided into a guaranteed buyout and a hefty vesting value. One way or another, there’s likely to be a wrinkle.

Cubs Insider writer Jacob Zanolla also reported on Tuesday night that the Cubs have a four-year offer in for Bregman worth more than $100 million.

Earlier on Tuesday Houston Astros GM Dana Brown made interesting comments regarding Bregman, repeatedly saying how the team had lost the third baseman and outfielder Kyle Tucker this offseason. When asked to clarify his comments on having lost Bregman, despite the infielder still being available, Brown said any discussions the team was having about him have remained internal. Brown later added that he nor Astros owner Jim Crane have had any conversations with Bregman’s agent Scott Boras recently.

Speculation around the Cubs interest in Bregman started in the middle of January and since then it seems as though those rumors have certainly picked up steam. In the meantime, the Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox have also been connected to Bregman along with the Cubs and Astros.

In recent days there has been talk about Bregman not having interest in signing with either Detroit or Toronto. The third baseman has reportedly been holding out for a $200 million contract this offseason, but so far no team has met his demands.

The Blue Jays reportedly have a six-year offer out for Bregman along with the Astros, who offered Bregman six years for $156 million back in November, a deal Bregman rejected. The Red Sox are reportedly only willing to offer Bregman a deal up to four years.

Is Jed Hoyer going to pull off another surprise?

Turns Out Caleb Williams Wasn’t Supposed To Be At Ben Johnson’s Presser

By
Erik Lambert
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caleb williams
Jan 22, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams arrives at a press conference introducing new head coach Ben Johnson at PNC Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Ben Johnson won’t earn fan adoration from his opening press conference, but it was clear he understood how to convey a message far better than his recent predecessors could. He was direct, concise, and communicated his vision thoroughly. It was an encouraging start. Yet what surprised people the most wasn’t what Johnson said. It’s who was there to watch it. Quarterback Caleb Williams, tight end Cole Kmet, and wide receivers D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze were all sitting in the front row watching the new Chicago Bears head coach.

Nothing like this had ever happened before. It didn’t for Matt Eberflus, Matt Nagy, John Fox, Marc Trestman, and so on. No players attended introductory press conferences. It felt odd the Bears would organize something like that. Except they didn’t. According to Courtney Cronin of ESPN, the decision to attend the presser was made entirely by the four players. Nobody else.

His was among the first calls placed by members of the committee Jan. 20, after Chicago had an agreement in place with Johnson, according to a team source. Not long after, Johnson called his new quarterback on FaceTime.

Two days later, Williams, wide receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, and tight end Cole Kmet were front row at Johnson’s introductory news conference, a sign of solidarity that was organized by the four players.

Caleb Williams was clearly sending a message.

He and his other teammates fully supported the decision to hire Johnson. They’d been begging the Bears to bring in some help to fix the offense. Chicago responded by hiring the most proven playcaller in the league, paying a hefty $13 million per year to make it happen. The message was received, and it appears the players wanted to make sure everybody knew how appreciative they were. Caleb Williams even admitted that he screamed in joy and excitement when he got the news. There is no question this group is hungry to excel. Chicago’s offense has been the second-class citizen of this franchise for many decades.

They’re eager to show everybody it can be different this time. A pairing of Williams and Johnson is by far the most encouraging they’ve ever had. Shoring up the offensive line is the next step in this process. If things go as planned, next fall could be lots of fun.

Caleb Williams Wins Award No One Saw Coming

By
Dave
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cole kmet
Aug 22, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) warms up prior to a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Caleb Williams had an up-and-down rookie season, and he’s unlikely to win Offensive Rookie of the Year in a highly competitive class featuring Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, Brock Bowers, and others. The favorite to take home the award is Jayden Daniels.

However, Williams isn’t leaving his first NFL season empty-handed. The Bears rookie quarterback was named the Most Stylish Football Player, an award decided by football fans worldwide through voting on the GQ Sports Instagram page. He beat out 31 other players, including his teammate Jaylon Johnson, whom he faced in the Final Four.

Known for his big personality since his college days, Williams is already making an impact in the NFL—both on and off the field.

Caleb Williams is unapologetically himself.

Last year’s winner was Eagles WR DeVonta Smith, but Caleb Williams has now taken the crown. One thing about Williams—he will always stay true to himself, no matter what. While some fans and media have spun this as a negative, there’s no denying that he’s a star in his own right. Now, with the spotlight of playing in Chicago—one of the NFL’s biggest markets—his profile is only growing.

Imagine if Williams takes the next step under Ben Johnson in Year 2. His popularity will soar, and GQ awards will be just the beginning of his success.

Cubs Make a Trade with Orioles (UPDATE)

By
Aldo Soto
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Feb 23, 2024; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Luis Vazquez (75) gets the force out on Chicago White Sox center fielder Dominic Fletcher (7) in the second inning at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Well, the Luis Vázquez era with the Baltimore Orioles lasted less than a week. The Cubs made a trade with the Orioles at the end of January, sending the infielder to Baltimore for some cash. Now, Vázquez is once again in limbo as the Orioles designated him for assignment on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old has now been DFA’d two times in less than two weeks. This time the Orioles moved him off their 40-man roster to make room for outfielder Ramón Laureano. The free agent signed a one-year contract with Baltimore that also includes a mutual option for the 2026 season.

The Cubs DFA’d Vázquez in January after officially signing veteran infielder Jon Berti.

(Previous Update)

Earlier this week the Chicago Cubs made room on the 40-man roster by designating infielder Luis Vázquez for assignment to bring in veteran free agent Jon Berti. Now, the Cubs have traded Vázquez to the Baltimore Orioles.

We’ve seen these types of deals throughout the offseason as the Cubs have let go of players who are eventually traded for cash considerations. That’s once again the case for Vázquez, who played in 11 games for the Cubs in 2024.

Vázquez, 25, has been in the Cubs’ organization since he was drafted in 2017. The right-handed hitter made it up to Triple-A in 2023, and has the reputation of being great defensively on the infield. Vázquez has started at second and third base, but much of his value comes from his stellar glove work at shortstop.

Vázquez slashed .263/.347/.432 with eight home runs in 64 games at Triple-A with the Iowa Cubs in 2024.

(Previous Update)

The Chicago Cubs made a few acquisitions official on Tuesday, announcing the trade for Ryan Pressly and also the signing of veteran infielder Jon Berti. The 35-year-old played for the New York Yankees in 2024, and agreed to a one-year deal with the Cubs for the 2025 season.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Berti the Cubs designated 25-year-old infielder Luis Vázquez for assignment.

Berti will reportedly earn a base salary of $2 million for the 2025 season and has an additional $1.3 million available in incentives.

Vázquez, who made his MLB debut with the Cubs in 2024, wasn’t used much at all during his two stints with the club last season. He was first called up on May 21, but was sent back down to Triple-A on May 30. The infielder returned to the big leagues in August and stayed up through the end of the regular season. Vázquez got a total of 14 plate appearances and played in a total of 11 games.

Vázquez broke out offensively in 2023, posting an .817 OPS with 20 home runs in 124 games between Double-A and Triple-A. His numbers dipped in 2024, as Vázquez slashed .263/.347/.432 with the Iowa Cubs. The right-handed hitter was only 1-for-12 in his brief playing time in the big leagues.

A great glove at shortstop, Vázquez has the skillset to start at the position in MLB, but the bat is a serious question mark, so it’ll be interesting to see if he’s picked up or not by a team on waivers. You can read more about Berti and his likely role on the 2025 team below.

Astros GM with Enormous Alex Bregman News

By
Aldo Soto
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Mar 30, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) prior to the game against the New York Yankees at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Obviously we won’t know until he actually signs with someone, but for now there’s the perception that Alex Bregman would prefer to re-sign with the Houston Astros. It probably explains why Bregman, who reportedly already has another six-year offer, hasn’t signed yet. It seems like Bregman is in a staring contest with the Astros, hoping that they’ll blink first and increase their six-year, $156 million offer.

However, on Tuesday, Astros’ GM Dana Brown may have spilled some enormous news about Bregman.

Brown addressed Houston media and on multiple occasions he referenced how the Astros had lost Bregman.

There’s always the potential that Brown is playing coy through the media and doesn’t want to lose any leverage in talks with Bregman. However, when the Astros’ GM was asked to clarify his comments about Bregman, the fact he kept saying how the team had lost the third baseman and outfielder Kyle Tucker this offseason, Brown didn’t seem like a guy who was still in active discussions with Bregman or his agent Scott Boras.

So, if we read between the lines here, then it really looks like the Astros are not budging from their reported standing offer to Bregman. In other words, they’re out on Bregman. If that’s the case, where does Bregman turn to now?

Is Alex Bregman about to fall right into Jed Hoyer’s waiting arms?

Earlier this week on 670 The Score, Chicago radio host Matt Spiegel discussed some things he had been hearing about Bregman’s free agency. Besides the Astros, we know that the Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and the Cubs have all shown an interest in signing Bregman.

Yet, according to Spiegel, Bregman has no interest in signing with the Tigers or Blue Jays.

Now, the Astros are no longer speaking to Bregman? So, does that mean the Bregman sweepstakes are down to the Cubs and Red Sox?

We’ve seen reports of the Cubs only willing to offer Bregman a short-term contract that includes opt outs, essentially the same or something similar to the Cody Bellinger deal from last offseason. When that news first began to circulate in the middle of January, Boras came out and said Bregman had no interest in a short deal.

A few weeks have passed and it appears as though no other team has come close to convincing Bregman to sign and that includes the Red Sox. Boston is said to be comfortable offering Bregman a contract up to four years, but nothing longer.

Speaking of the Red Sox, are they now out of Bregman and considering other options?

Of course, this new leak could certainly be more about the Red Sox pushing Bregman to make up his mind about them.

As for the Cubs, they’ll keep waiting and maybe their patience does prevail after all.

Chicago Bears Pull Fascinating Curveball With New D-Line Coach

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears
Defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett during an organized team activity Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla.

One thing we’ve learned about new head coach Ben Johnson is that he’s not afraid to take calculated risks on young, ascending assistant coaches. He already proved that when hiring 28-year-old Declan Doyle as the offensive coordinator. Now he’s done it again with the Chicago Bears’ defensive line coach position. Travis Smith was dismissed this off-season as the complete purge of Matt Eberflus’ staff. After initially thinking his replacement was longtime veteran Bill Johnson, it was revealed that was not the case. Johnson was hired for another role. The name to eventually emerge was a relative unknown: Jeremy Garrett.

A former defensive lineman at Ole Miss, he broke into the coaching ranks in 2010. He bounced around the high school level for a few years before getting a shot at Vanderbilt in 2019. His impression drew the attention of the Cleveland Browns, who made him their assistant defensive line coach in 2020. A year later, in 2021, Myles Garrett had the best season of his career with 16 sacks and 33 QB hits. That success got Garrett his first primary defensive line job at Liberty in 2022. His impact was felt immediately. They posted 45 sacks that season, up from 37 the year before.

Again, he was promoted by taking the defensive line job at Auburn, where they went from 26 sacks to 31 and 66 tackles for a loss to 83. The Jacksonville Jaguars brought him in as their defensive line coach this past season. While the year was a disaster for many reasons, Travon Walker set a career-high with 10.5 sacks, and the team had 83 tackles for a loss.

The Chicago Bears properly operated off a recommendation here.

Garrett worked the 2024 season under Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. Before Jacksonville, he was the defensive line coach in New Orleans under former defensive coordinator and head coach Dennis Allen. It would not be shocking if Nielsen told his former colleague that Garrett is somebody the Bears want to hire. He is young and has achieved results everywhere he’s been, save for Jacksonville, and that is far from his fault. Having worked with Nielsen, he likely knows what Allen will want from his defensive front.

Garrett appears to specialize in teaching linemen how to attack, which is why his unit’s sacks and tackles for losses spiked everywhere he’s been. Allen said he wants an attack defense, which would make it easier to see why he grew intrigued with the young assistant. Having Johnson on the staff as a sounding board will also be a huge benefit. This will be one worth keeping an eye on.

The Blackhawks’ Lineup Just Went From Somewhat Exciting To A Huge Disaster

By
Isaac Nielsen
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Dec 7, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks’ interim head coach Anders Sorensen talks with the media after his debut at the United Center with his team against the Winnipeg Jets. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

While the Blackhawks currently find themselves near the bottom of the NHL standings, the team has been a bit more exciting to watch lately. That’s because young players like Frank Nazar, Landon Slaggert, Colton Dach, Ethan Del Mastro and Nolan Allan have begun to flood the NHL lineup, finally migrating to the league. They’ve each been excellent, more than holding their own at the game’s top level. In some cases, that’s given them more ice time, though we have yet to see the elusive lineup with nine players ages 23 and younger, a possibility given the names currently on the roster (adding Connor Bedard, Alex Vlasic, Louis Crevier and Lukas Reichel to the previous list).

Lately, though, Chicago has gotten even further away from that possibility. While the Blackhawks have a chance to put together a pretty exciting lineup, they’ve inexplicably done exactly the opposite with their latest groupings.

In practice Tuesday, Chicago rolled out a brand-new lineup that looks a bit different than usual:

Landon Slaggert – Connor Bedard – Ryan Donato
Teuvo Teravainen – Jason Dickinson – Ilya Mikheyev
Nick Foligno – Frank Nazar – Tyler Bertuzzi
Pat Maroon – Lukas Reichel – Craig Smith

Alec Martinez – Seth Jones
Alex Vlasic – Connor Murphy
Ethan Del Mastro – TJ Brodie
Nolan Allan – Artyom Levshunov

Petr Mrazek
Arvid Soderblom

Wait… what? When interim head coach Anders Sorensen took over in December, he told fans that he would change his lines less than Luke Richardson had, as that had created a big problem in the roster’s consistency. Now, he’s not only changed them, but has made them almost hard to watch.

The reason behind the switch is obvious – the team is trying to give players like Donato as much help as possible in hopes that they can get some extra value in a trade. But we’ve said it time and time again – the Blackhawks don’t need another third-round pick. Their primary goal at this point is to develop the talent they already have, and how does a lineup with 13 players ages 28 and older accomplish that?

It’s bad enough that Chicago isn’t giving its top players more ice time, putting together lines like Slaggert – Bedard – Nazar to give them some time together. But the lineup becomes even worse when it means young players are going to be scratched. Colton Dach has been excellent for almost all of his time in Chicago, but he’ll be watching Wednesday’s game from the press box. The same goes for Nolan Allan, who will be the extra defenseman when Levshunov is sent back to Rockford. Even Philipp Kurashev, who is having a brutal season, would be a better choice for the Blackhawks’ long-term goals than Maroon or Smith.

With Chicago wrapping up on Saturday before the Four Nations Face-Off, there’s a good chance that players like Dach, Allan and Del Mastro are sent to the AHL to get more run – the IceHogs play four games that week. Like any move to Rockford, that means there’s a chance one or two of them isn’t brought back after the break, especially with two players now on IR. That makes the current lineup more inexcusable – if there’s a chance they’ll be with the IceHogs for a while, why wouldn’t the Blackhawks want the young skaters to get a longer look?

PECOTA Predicts Another 100-Loss Season For White Sox, But Forecasts Significant Improvement

By
Mitchell Kaminski
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Nov 8, 2024; Chicago, Ill, USA; New Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable (R) poses for a photo with general manager Chris Getz (R) during a press conference at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Baseball Prospectus annual PECOTA projections, forecast another 100-loss season for the Chicago White Sox. However, it also predicts 20 more wins than last year’s total. 

Baseball Prospectus’s PECOTA projections are considered one of the most reliable systems for forecasting player performance. Short for “Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm,” PECOTA utilizes projected depth charts to estimate runs scored and allowed for each team, ultimately calculating expected win totals.

To nobody’s surprise, PECOTA has the 2025 White Sox finishing last in the American League Central with 61-62 wins and 100-101 losses. The simulated win total of 61.5 is the second lowest in the MLB, behind only the Colorado Rockies. While sitting through triple-digit losses is not ideal for White Sox fans, a 20-game improvement would be significant—even if the bar was set historically low. 

One of the reasons the White Sox lost 121 games was their lack of depth. Eleven-year veteran Tommy Pham told Jon Heyman during an interview last season that he has never been on a team that was actively developing people at the MLB level like the White Sox, which set the team up for some added growing pains throughout the season. 

When Yoan Moncada, Eloy Jimenez, and Luis Robert Jr went down with injuries early in the year, the White Sox had very few options to replace them and the bottom fell out. This offseason, Chris Getz has made an effort to solidify the organizational depth. He has added veterans like Austin Slater, Mike Tauchman, and Josh Rojas, who will help take some of the pressure off of the younger players if they begin to struggle. 

The 40-man roster has no shortage of infielders, with Brooks Baldwin, Colson Montgomery, Bryan Ramos, Lenyn Sosa, Miguel Vargas, and Rojas all expected to compete for playing time this season.  The outfield features former All-Stars Andrew Benintendi, Luis Robert Jr., and a platoon of Tauchman and Slater in right field, who each have a knack for getting on base. Off the bench, the White Sox will have Dominic Fletcher, who showed flashes on the defensive end last season despite his -0.3 WAR. 

While the White Sox did trade away their best player, Garrett Crochet, FanGraphs still projects that the starting rotation will be above replacement level. Some of the players that came back in the Crochet trade are also expected to contribute. Catcher Kyle Teel, and infielder Chase Meidroth are expected to be up in the majors at some point this season. Last season, the White Sox’s Opening Day catcher, Martín Maldonado, finished with a -1.5 WAR. Upgrading to a potential catching duo of Kyle Teel, MLB Pipeline’s 32nd-ranked prospect, and Edgar Quero, ranked 66th, should provide a significant boost to the team’s offensive production.

Getz also brought in Will Venable, who was Hall of Famer Bruce Bochy’s right-hand man with the Texas Rangers. Having Venable at the helm should drastically improve the team’s accountability and preparation regularly. Winning only 41 games will be hard to repeat from the simple fact that the White Sox were snake-bitten. Their 36-blown saves were the most in the MLB. While their bullpen still has plenty of question marks it is hard to see the White Sox running into as much bad luck as they did last season.

Is this team going to be competing for a division title anytime soon? Probably not. But at the very least, the 2025 White Sox should be a much more digestible product on the field than the 2024 squad.

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