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If you keep Quero, you have to give him consistent at-bats at DH when Teel is catching. As such, it really limits how much Benintendi can also DH. Something has to give there IMO or you have to accept shitty LF defense next season to ensure Quero’s bat can develop. As for Sosa, we now have four LH hitters in our lineup and one switch hitter who is far better from the LH side than that right side. Sosa as the 10th man who fills in at multiple spots (especially against LHP) can work. Meidroth being able to cover SS allows us to carry a non-traditional backup infielder like Sosa. Honestly, if he can learn some LF, he should be able to get plenty of playing time. It’s actually Mead who seems kind of pointless as the roster is currently constructed.

It's nice to be a fan of a team that makes a move like this while seeing fans of other teams publicly say things like "That's too much for unproven talent" or "I'm glad my team didn't pay this guy". Meanwhile we know they're pissed. $17 million committed for two years is a risk you take every single day. The Sox desperately need power, and this guy could bring it in droves. The marketing rewards alone will likely pay for a lot of the contract. This guy is huge in Japan and will have a big following in the US, too.

All correct. They are seemingly one year ahead of schedule, which isn't a bad thing, but the window is now wide open for them, and they have to take advantage. Caleb will be entering Year 3 next year. His Year 3, 4 & 5 is the window. If he continues to progress, they'll be giving him a mega deal at some point, which will make things much harder to navigate. They have to take advantage during this window. It's why I'd bet good money that the Bears end up with one of Garrett/Crosby/Hendrickson in the offseason. All would come at different costs, but if Garrett, or even Crosby were on the 2025 Bears, I think they are considered a Super Bowl favorite this year. It's such a glaring need at an impact position. The time to make the big swing is here, to try and put this team over the top and make a run for the next 2-3 seasons.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/10/previewing-the-2025-26-free-agent-class-corner-outfield.html Andujar Conforto Grichuk Hays Kepler Marte Refsnyder Winker Bader's going to be over $10 million

Man, this was great. It really did satisfy the itch I had for the Sox to just declare that they did still want to be a baseball team. Looking forward to my big boy swinging out of his shoes. What a wonderful change. Last year out 1b when you stared into his eyes was like looking into an abyss. And he sucked. But looking into murakamis eyes I see mountains. Our big boy is going to crush or die swinging. Down with the nerds. Zrate, vectors, dimensions. Big boy hit ball.

Sox Reddit has it right. Mune Moonshots.

Benintendi DH, Sosa gets traded, they sign a corner outfielder for less than 10 million and the catchers lead off is my contrarian prediction

That's a good point. But his dad came on the air after he was traded and said that he would love to resign for the White Sox in the off season if they made a move for him.

Call him Mune

Boston traded him to Cards as part of the Contreras deal.

He’s last place in OOA for LF at -34 runs from 2023 to 2025. That’s out of 32 guys with 1,000+ innings at the position during that timeframe. And if I break his OAA down between range and arm, he’s still dead last in range at -22 runs. To illustrate how bad that is, the 5th worst is at -11 runs or half of how bad Benintendi is.

Well stated summary. And, it represents the best in legitimate collective bargaining.

Other than his throwing, he does an adequate job in left.

No Sosa?

What are you crying about now? You want a round of applause for Getzie because the Sox got the #1 pick? Great, don’t f*** it up again and take another Smith instead of the best talent. He made an excellent hire in Rodriguez. Nothing wrong with today’s signing as it’s a great dart to throw, but I won’t hold my breath that his K’s don’t make his HR totals irrelevant. Anyone who doesn’t think that we should move Christmas to August 30th lives rent free in your head.

Yhoiker Fajardo, RHP Age: 19 The White Sox signed Fajardo for $400,000 out of Venezuela in 2024, then dealt him to the Red Sox for reliever Cam Booser prior to 2025. Fajardo broke out with the Red Sox this past season and ranked ninth in their system entering 2026. Fajardo throws a four-seam fastball, slider and changeup with above-average control. Fajardo’s fastball sits 93-95 mph with below-average ride, but it’s an average pitch because of his velocity and command. His mid-80s gyro slider misses bats with unusually low spin. Fajardo’s upper-80s changeup has good separation from his fastball with good whiff and chase rates in 2025. Fajardo has back-end starter upside. baseballamerica.com

25. Fernando Graterol, C, Venezuela Born: Oct. 9, 2008. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 175. Team: White Sox Graterol has a strong, broad-shouldered frame with more physical projection remaining. He already has some of the better raw power of any catcher in the 2026 international class and could grow into more once he’s physically mature. It could end up a power-over-hit profile with the potential to develop into a 20-plus home run hitter. Graterol has a strong arm, but he will need to make strides with his blocking and receiving to prove that he can stick behind the plate. 30. Sebastian Romero, OF, Venezuela Born: Sept. 4, 2008. B-T: L-L. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 175. Team: White Sox Romero has a lean, lively 6-foot-2 frame with advanced feel for hitting from the left side of the plate. It’s a sound, fluid swing with the ability to manipulate the barrel to square up pitches with good contact skills against live pitching. Romero has mostly doubles power now but with a lot of space left to fill out and potentially develop into a 20-plus home run hitter. He’s a good athlete and an above-average runner who moves around well in center field. From BA's top 30 preview. The rest of the top 100 should be out before the period opens

"HallofFrank" Soxmachine.com comments section "Simply put, Murakami is a unicorn due to his elite exit velocities. It won't be so surprising if he succeeds in unexpected ways. (2) He (Mike Baumann) doesn't sufficiently account for Murakami's age and difference in league — in other words, for the likelihood of substantial adjustments. Extremely talented players can often get by with certain approaches or swings at lower levels (or in this case, different levels, see Ohtani NPB numbers) but typically must adjust when they climb the ladder. Murakami is clobbering NPB, so chances are he didn't care about his Z-Contact %. And why would he? But as he works with MLB teams and sees the ways he'll be pitched, he'll have to make adjustments, like many other prospects who advance after dominating a lower level. In general, I'm less concerned about one hole in the player's game if he's dominating the level, because he doesn't yet have the incentive to adjust and it demonstrates spectacular tools elsewhere. I'm not saying he'll come over and it'll be an easy fix and that will be that. But it's rather typical for exceptionally talented prospects to have a statistical hole in their game somewhere because they've never really had to address it." https://soxmachine.com/2025/12/white-sox-signing-munetaka-murakami-to-two-year-34m-deal

I’m trying to make a lineup and don’t know where to put guys, that’s good and a welcome change.

Wow. The Sox getting this guy is huge. A starter from day one who can hit 50 plus homers. Are happy days here again? Bears during the winter; Sox summer?

"The Swallows will receive a $6.575 million posting fee and could receive more based on performance incentives in Murakami’s deal." https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/12/22/baseball/mlb/munetaka-murakami-posting-white-sox/

So do Sosa & Vargas though. Honestly, I need to see Quero impact the baseball more and hit less ground ball before I move him up above any of the other guys. If Meidroth can’t get his OBP to the levels I’m expecting (.370+. vs LHP), then he could eventually move down. But I want high OBPs in front of my best two power hitters against LHP in Sosa & Robert.

Zero chance I’m moving Robert anywhere below 4th in the lineup when he has a career 130 wRC+ vs. LHP. He’s got to be a top 4 hitter against LHP. I could see a strong argument batting him second though. That being said, I kind of like the idea of keeping him in the 4 hole regardless of pitcher handedness and letting him focus primarily on impacting the baseball rather than getting on-base. I could be convinced on swapping Montgomery & Murakami for sure. Whomever ends up better against LHP should be in the 5th hole IMO.

Totally

Sure, switch him with Vargas then. Except he has a tendency to clog up the base paths compared to Teel/Vargas/Meidroth.