OD 26 Man Roster Projection

[Chicago White Sox]

30 minutes ago, BamaDoc said:

I hope your surprising prediction is wrong.  I think moving Hagen Smith or for that matter Schultz to the pen now would be developmental malpractice.  If they are close to their innings limit and aren't up starting, I could see bullpen for last month or 6 weeks to get a intro to MLB but otherwise the team really needs at least one of them to be successful starters.

100% agree.  Him and Schultz need to continued to be developed as starters.

[Bob Sacamano]

40 minutes ago, BamaDoc said:

I hope your surprising prediction is wrong.  I think moving Hagen Smith or for that matter Schultz to the pen now would be developmental malpractice.  If they are close to their innings limit and aren't up starting, I could see bullpen for last month or 6 weeks to get a intro to MLB but otherwise the team really needs at least one of them to be successful starters.

 

10 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

100% agree.  Him and Schultz need to continued to be developed as starters.

Agreed. And I hate that they’re already doing this with Taylor. And I get he can move the rotation eventually, but I’d still rather not waste MLB service time on him being in pen.

[Lip Man 1]

17 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

 

Agreed. And I hate that they’re already doing this with Taylor. And I get he can move the rotation eventually, but I’d still rather not waste MLB service time on him being in pen.

https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/grant-taylor-role-2026-white-sox-bullpen

[brijames1957]

I know I'm probably in the minority but I don't like Meidroth as the 2b moving forward. He does nothing exceptionally well and his total lack of any pop in his bat and run production should be enough to move on from him. 

[GGajewski18]

C Teel/Quero
1B Murakami/Mead
2B Meidroth/Acuna
SS Montgomery
3B Vargas/Mead
LF Hays/Benintendi
CF Acuna/Baldwin
RF Pereira/Baldwin/Kelenic
DH Benintendi/Quero

So a bench of Quero, Mead, Baldwin, Kelenic.  I think Korey Lee could win that last spot on the bench too and have 3 catchers so Quero can DH more.  I think Sosa gets traded, if not, he's the last bench guy.

SP Martin
SP Smith
SP Kay
SP Burke
SP Cannon

RP Paez
RP Gilbert (L)
RP Alberto
RP Vasil
RP Newcomb (L)
RP Leasure
RP Taylor
CP Dominguez

[ChiSoxFanMike]

53 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

If the Sox put Hagen Smith in the bullpen to start the season, then I’ve lost all confidence in this org.  Is this something you actually want to see happen?

As for Sosa, despite 22 HRs he was only a league average hitter last year.  He was certainly better in the second half, but was substantially better against LHP (121 wRC+) than RHP (101 wRC+).  Those splits could make him an everyday guy at 2B if the defense was sufficient, but don’t really work for a full-time DH role.  I also don’t agree with you on his defensive performance at 2B.  It looked bad per the eye test and graded out as -10 runs per DRS.  Not sure why you think he’s going to suddenly better out there.

Not that I’m advocating for it, but how would it be any different than calling up Grant Taylor last year and putting him in the bullpen?

[Bob Sacamano]

6 minutes ago, ChiSoxFanMike said:

Not that I’m advocating for it, but how would it be any different than calling up Grant Taylor last year and putting him in the bullpen?

Burn an extra year of service for starting on the roster day 1 for one. If he never was sent back down, you’d have 6 years instead of 6+

Edited February 4 by Bob Sacamano

[Chicago White Sox]

3 minutes ago, ChiSoxFanMike said:

Not that I’m advocating for it, but how would it be any different than calling up Grant Taylor last year and putting him in the bullpen?

Well to be clear, I didn’t like the idea of moving Taylor to the bullpen.  That being said, Taylor also completed dominated the minors and was ready to produce in the majors.  The only real reason to hold him down was to build up his innings without burning team control, which I would have done.  Instead, the Sox are targeting to get him 100 innings in the majors this year as a reliever in hopes of him possibly joining the rotation next year with 5 years of control remaining.

Meanwhile, Smith and Schultz both have plenty to work on in action to their need for inning build-up.  As such, they both need to be down in AAA or AA focusing on their development.  A big spring training or a need at the major league level should not change that plan.

[BamaDoc]

So the MLB article talks of getting Taylor to 100ip but Venable hopes to use him to win games.  I would be wary of back to back appearances or anything that could hurt him.  It is interesting but you have three right-handers in Vasil, Taylor, and Hicks who have some starting experience/ability to go more than an inning.  At some point it might make sense to use each every third game for two innings.  50g = 100ip. Getting a couple days rest might protect them a bit.  If we are out of the race or post trade deadline, it might make sense.  If someone traded(Hicks), you could add in one of the TJ guys or a youngster.

Edited February 4 by BamaDoc

[Chicago White Sox]

2 minutes ago, BamaDoc said:

So the MLB article talks of getting Taylor to 100ip but Venables hopes to use him to win games.  I would be wary of back to back appearances or anything that could hurt him.  It is interesting but you have three right-handers in Vasil, Taylor, and Hicks who have some starting experience/ability to go more than an inning.  At some point it might make sense to use each every third game for two innings.  50g = 100ip. Getting a couple days rest might protect them a bit.  If we are out of the race or post trade deadline, it might make sense.  If someone traded(Hicks), you could add in one of the TJ guys or a youngster.

I think that’s going to be the plan for Taylor.

[tray]

IMO, the WSox have to keep Sosa's RH bat in the line-up as much as possible... possibly as a 1B/DH platoon with Murakami or at 2B for a few games.  The more HR power in the line-up, the merrier.

[Chicago White Sox]

Hudson officially DFA’d to make room for Hayes.

[ChiSoxFanMike]

3 hours ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Well to be clear, I didn’t like the idea of moving Taylor to the bullpen.  That being said, Taylor also completed dominated the minors and was ready to produce in the majors.  The only real reason to hold him down was to build up his innings without burning team control, which I would have done.  Instead, the Sox are targeting to get him 100 innings in the majors this year as a reliever in hopes of him possibly joining the rotation next year with 5 years of control remaining.

Meanwhile, Smith and Schultz both have plenty to work on in action to their need for inning build-up.  As such, they both need to be down in AAA or AA focusing on their development.  A big spring training or a need at the major league level should not change that plan.

Fair. It will be interesting to see if either of them force the issue in spring. Would be a nice dilemma to have.

[ptatc]

3 hours ago, ChiSoxFanMike said:

Not that I’m advocating for it, but how would it be any different than calling up Grant Taylor last year and putting him in the bullpen?

If you listen to Bannister, all of Grant's characteristics are more that of a reliever than a starter to stay healthy. This is not true for Smith.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

On 2/3/2026 at 8:54 AM, Jake said:

My thinking is they will not let go of Mead so soon. I'm not 100% on it, but I think Getz is going to try to find a spot for him on the roster. I also do not think Benny will spend much time on the bench to start the year. This leads me in the direction of thinking Baldwin starts the year in AAA. Getz has shown a tendency to use minor league options as a way to delay making 40-man roster decisions. I think Lee is a goner if both catchers are healthy at the end of spring.

When Veneable was asked about a breakout guy he said Baldwin. 

He also loves Vargas as a clubhouse/great team mate guy.

[vilehoopster]

I do not start to understand this fear or displeasure of having Hagen Smith in the bullpen this year. Why would it be bad or terrible? It turned out great for Garrett Crochet and Chris Sales, just great. According to MLB.com, along with Skubal, those two, who both started out in the White Sox bullpen, are two of the top three left-handed starters in baseball right now. Really, an argument could be made, using those two as examples, that starting out a young talented left-hander in the bullpen is a great developemental move. Why is it a bad idea? Give a reason why Hagen in the bullpen is not good.

Now, I don't think it's a great idea to leave Hagen there long. In fact, when Squimen Yermen (however he spells it) suggested putting Hagen in the bullpen a couple months ago, and I agreed with him; one of my reasons for agreeing with Hagen in the bullpen was so the Sox could start making Taylor a starter, or move Taylor to a starter in the minors. 

[Chicago White Sox]

48 minutes ago, vilehoopster said:

I do not start to understand this fear or displeasure of having Hagen Smith in the bullpen this year. Why would it be bad or terrible? It turned out great for Garrett Crochet and Chris Sales, just great. According to MLB.com, along with Skubal, those two, who both started out in the White Sox bullpen, are two of the top three left-handed starters in baseball right now. Really, an argument could be made, using those two as examples, that starting out a young talented left-hander in the bullpen is a great developemental move. Why is it a bad idea? Give a reason why Hagen in the bullpen is not good.

Now, I don't think it's a great idea to leave Hagen there long. In fact, when Squimen Yermen (however he spells it) suggested putting Hagen in the bullpen a couple months ago, and I agreed with him; one of my reasons for agreeing with Hagen in the bullpen was so the Sox could start making Taylor a starter, or move Taylor to a starter in the minors. 

Why would it be a good thing?

[ptatc]

24 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Why would it be a good thing?

Let him learn to get out MLB hitters in a less stressful situation to set him up for success? 

Its not the only way but it is a valid point.

[southsider2k5]

1 hour ago, vilehoopster said:

I do not start to understand this fear or displeasure of having Hagen Smith in the bullpen this year. Why would it be bad or terrible? It turned out great for Garrett Crochet and Chris Sales, just great. According to MLB.com, along with Skubal, those two, who both started out in the White Sox bullpen, are two of the top three left-handed starters in baseball right now. Really, an argument could be made, using those two as examples, that starting out a young talented left-hander in the bullpen is a great developemental move. Why is it a bad idea? Give a reason why Hagen in the bullpen is not good.

Now, I don't think it's a great idea to leave Hagen there long. In fact, when Squimen Yermen (however he spells it) suggested putting Hagen in the bullpen a couple months ago, and I agreed with him; one of my reasons for agreeing with Hagen in the bullpen was so the Sox could start making Taylor a starter, or move Taylor to a starter in the minors. 

The same problem with Taylor, exists with both Schultz and Smith and that is conditioning.  If they can't even go 100 innings, wasting a season pitching them out of the pen is just another step closer to them never starting.  I know people are on the Sale/Crochet bandwagon, but for the vast majority of cases, once you go to the pen you don't come out, especially if you don't have a real innings base under you before you do it.  

[Squirmin' for Yermin]

2 hours ago, vilehoopster said:

I do not start to understand this fear or displeasure of having Hagen Smith in the bullpen this year. Why would it be bad or terrible? It turned out great for Garrett Crochet and Chris Sales, just great. According to MLB.com, along with Skubal, those two, who both started out in the White Sox bullpen, are two of the top three left-handed starters in baseball right now. Really, an argument could be made, using those two as examples, that starting out a young talented left-hander in the bullpen is a great developemental move. Why is it a bad idea? Give a reason why Hagen in the bullpen is not good.

Now, I don't think it's a great idea to leave Hagen there long. In fact, when Squimen Yermen (however he spells it) suggested putting Hagen in the bullpen a couple months ago, and I agreed with him; one of my reasons for agreeing with Hagen in the bullpen was so the Sox could start making Taylor a starter, or move Taylor to a starter in the minors. 

I'd argue it did not turn out great for the White Sox for Garrett Crochet. We backed ourselves into a corner and had to trade him because he only had 2 years left BECAUSE we threw him into the bullpen (and left him there).

[WestEddy]

18 minutes ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

I'd argue it did not turn out great for the White Sox for Garrett Crochet. We backed ourselves into a corner and had to trade him because he only had 2 years left BECAUSE we threw him into the bullpen (and left him there).

I'd argue that if Crochet had 4 years left coming into 2025, all else being equal, they still would have traded him. 

Crochet and Sale didn't excel because they started in the bullpen. They were converted to leverage their advanced abilities to help out in a pennant race. They probably eased Sale into a starting role through the bullpen, delaying TJS until after he left the White Sox. 

To me, it's 6 of one, half a dozen of the other. It could benefit Hagen Smith to ramp his innings up out of the pen if he's not being challenged in AA. The Sox might play service time games with 3 weeks of minor league time. They wouldn't hold Smith back an entire year and three weeks.

I see no difference if Smith comes up in June and works from the bullpen, or if he comes up in September and starts. 

[ptatc]

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

The same problem with Taylor, exists with both Schultz and Smith and that is conditioning.  If they can't even go 100 innings, wasting a season pitching them out of the pen is just another step closer to them never starting.  I know people are on the Sale/Crochet bandwagon, but for the vast majority of cases, once you go to the pen you don't come out, especially if you don't have a real innings base under you before you do it.  

The key is about 100 innings. Probably a little more for Smith as he had around 90 last year.

[poppysox]

2 hours ago, ptatc said:

Let him learn to get out MLB hitters in a less stressful situation to set him up for success? 

Its not the only way but it is a valid point.

It also improves our bullpen.

[Chicago White Sox]

51 minutes ago, poppysox said:

It also improves our bullpen.

In a year where we aren’t going to be serious contenders.  Do the right thing and let him build up his innings in the minors as a SP.

[poppysox]

12 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

In a year where we aren’t going to be serious contenders.  Do the right thing and let him build up his innings in the minors as a SP.

I know I'm in the minority...but I'd like to think we're going to be competitive.  That opening day 26 isn't all that easy to trim anymore.  Our division is winnable with a tweak here and there.  For sure, we should be entertaining.