Sox get an off season "C"

[southsider2k5]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6989271/2026/02/02/mlb-offseason-grades-takeaways-2026-predictions/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAPuK09jbGNrA-4q3WV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHiBw0Sp5MC43rRIbpMaT84K3JOaGjdfdo8qIMYrs0cf2GqK0IrOyhvAsXBba_aem_AXhEhyarSST3QWVb3C_IKg&redirected=1

 

[FriendlyNorthsider]

The White Sox offseason grade and Getz’s offseason grade are two different things.  
 

Once you consider the ownerships budget constraints I think it has been better than a C. 
 

Dominguez is a solid choice for a leverage reliever. Not all relievers want to go to a non-contending team. There’s always a chance you’ll have to move at the deadline which is a downside so you pretty much have to outbid everyone else. Domínguez is an interesting pitcher. A wild stat is that he tied for first in the MLB in wild pitches despite throwing 79+ less innings than the guys he tied with. He has pitched well in two World Series though and it’s hard to touch him let alone square up on him. If you’re going to take a chance on a guy why not a guy with serious upside. 
 

Murakami was just an A+ move any way you look at it. He has a TON of swing and miss in his game but even the projections that have him with a disgusting 37% K rate (Adam Dunn maxed out at 35.7%) still have him as an above average hitter (117 OPS+). The power is very real so it’s a hell of a lottery ticket if the swing and miss is just regular bad. The contract was solid. If things go well this year you have an opportunity to try and extend him. If he’s set on free agency, he’d be a great trade chip. Zero risk move and one of my favorite of any team this offseason. 
 

Hayes is a fine pickup. Nothing special, but this class didn’t have much to offer.  Bader doesn’t move the needle for me Conforto would’ve been disgusting. Hayes is a solid weak side platoon player without a ton of upside for more, but it was a short and cheap deal so why not. 
 

The Robert deal was not my favorite, but not really for reasons under Getz’s control. I would’ve preferred eating money for an addition prospect or a higher tier one, but maybe that wasn’t even on the table. I also think there wasn’t much downside to seeing if Robert could pick up where he left off last year and put together a good start before you traded him. Ultimately it depends on how you feel about Acuna. If Getz loves Acuna then you don’t pass up the opportunity. Acuna has a realistic path to being a multi-win player. He’s fast, he’s got a glove, and he can swing hard. If the arm plays in center then he’ll be a plus out there. I don’t know if the power will ever develop but if he can ways to get on base (bunting against bad matchups could help) his offensive value will be fine. 
 

The Hicks trade I’m also fine with. I think the clear A offseason would’ve involved going above and beyond for Imai but it takes two to tango and who knows if that was possible. Hicks was another guy near the top of the wild pitch leaderboard. He has solid stuff and had good not great results in his first year starting. Last year was a disaster but that’s why you’re playing him 2 yrs/16M. Thats pretty much the going rate for a 5th starter/swingman at this point and Hicks has more upside than that. You also came out on seemingly the right end of the prospect swap as Sandlin seems to have some juice. 

The Anthony Kay move is fun. Kay has been starting in Japan the past two years and has already gotten the innings under his belt to give the Sox a full workload this year. He had a 1.74ERA which is great even by NPB standards where no one scores runs. The contract was cheap and even came with a club option for a third year which I love. I’m not sure he has star potential but his command is better and getting 150 solid innings from him doesn’t seem out of the question. 

Wade, Kelenic, and the other moves couldn’t interest me less. But I’d rather the young guys get the at bats anyway. We’ll see if Paez is able to stick with the team. Rule V has already been solid for the Sox so give it another shot I guess. 
 

Given the budget Getz had that’s not a C offseason. Kay and Hicks are cheap inning eaters with some upside. The Club option on Kay is very Hahn like and really gives that deal some major upside for helping the team once the core is ready. Murakami was an A+ move. I’m not in love with Acuna but I see the vision. Domínguez is a good upside pickup. If he gets his control to just sort of bad instead of 1st percentile you have a solid closer/trade piece. 
 

Im at about an A-/B+ for Getz and a B-/C+ for the Sox. My main critique of Getz is on the Robert deal but there is so much I don’t know that it’s hard to really ding him. Imai would’ve been a fun upside play if that was on the table and would have been worth missing out on Domínguez or Hayes. Seeing Getz with a budget would be fun because I think he’s a solid GM. 
 

The Sox as a whole get dinged because of Reinsdorf is cheap and doesn’t care about winning or the fans. 

[chitownsportsfan]

It was a fine offseason given where we are. Not going to be a quick process.

[kitekrazy]

I don't even know how one would grade these.

There are some new faces on the Sox and that will gain interest.

How do the Brewers get a B+? or the Marlins?

[nrockway]

33 minutes ago, kitekrazy said:

I don't even know how one would grade these.

There are some new faces on the Sox and that will gain interest.

How do the Brewers get a B+? or the Marlins?

the royals signed alex lange and lane thomas, extended maikel garcia...obviously a much better offseason than the sox. these grades are dumb. the cubs at an 'a' is laughable. 

[Sleepy Harold]

11 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6989271/2026/02/02/mlb-offseason-grades-takeaways-2026-predictions/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAPuK09jbGNrA-4q3WV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHiBw0Sp5MC43rRIbpMaT84K3JOaGjdfdo8qIMYrs0cf2GqK0IrOyhvAsXBba_aem_AXhEhyarSST3QWVb3C_IKg&redirected=1

 

The graphic is wrong for whatever reason, they actually have a B- in the piece.

 

[Squirmin' for Yermin]

12 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6989271/2026/02/02/mlb-offseason-grades-takeaways-2026-predictions/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAPuK09jbGNrA-4q3WV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHiBw0Sp5MC43rRIbpMaT84K3JOaGjdfdo8qIMYrs0cf2GqK0IrOyhvAsXBba_aem_AXhEhyarSST3QWVb3C_IKg&redirected=1

 

The Cubs getting an A is insane to me. They let Kyle Tucker go. They're going to take a step back this season i predict.

Edited 8 hours ago by Squirmin' for Yermin

[Falstaff]

Bowden will also be handing out Participation Trophies.

[35thstreetswarm]

1 hour ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

The Cubs getting an A is insane to me. They let Kyle Tucker go. They're going to take a step back this season i predict.

This.  Not sure why everyone talks about them as if they just added Bregman to last year's team.  They didn't.  They effectively swapped Tucker for Bregman.  

[35thstreetswarm]

10 hours ago, FriendlyNorthsider said:

The White Sox offseason grade and Getz’s offseason grade are two different things.  
 

Once you consider the ownerships budget constraints I think it has been better than a C. 
 

Dominguez is a solid choice for a leverage reliever. Not all relievers want to go to a non-contending team. There’s always a chance you’ll have to move at the deadline which is a downside so you pretty much have to outbid everyone else. Domínguez is an interesting pitcher. A wild stat is that he tied for first in the MLB in wild pitches despite throwing 79+ less innings than the guys he tied with. He has pitched well in two World Series though and it’s hard to touch him let alone square up on him. If you’re going to take a chance on a guy why not a guy with serious upside. 
 

Murakami was just an A+ move any way you look at it. He has a TON of swing and miss in his game but even the projections that have him with a disgusting 37% K rate (Adam Dunn maxed out at 35.7%) still have him as an above average hitter (117 OPS+). The power is very real so it’s a hell of a lottery ticket if the swing and miss is just regular bad. The contract was solid. If things go well this year you have an opportunity to try and extend him. If he’s set on free agency, he’d be a great trade chip. Zero risk move and one of my favorite of any team this offseason. 
 

Hayes is a fine pickup. Nothing special, but this class didn’t have much to offer.  Bader doesn’t move the needle for me Conforto would’ve been disgusting. Hayes is a solid weak side platoon player without a ton of upside for more, but it was a short and cheap deal so why not. 
 

The Robert deal was not my favorite, but not really for reasons under Getz’s control. I would’ve preferred eating money for an addition prospect or a higher tier one, but maybe that wasn’t even on the table. I also think there wasn’t much downside to seeing if Robert could pick up where he left off last year and put together a good start before you traded him. Ultimately it depends on how you feel about Acuna. If Getz loves Acuna then you don’t pass up the opportunity. Acuna has a realistic path to being a multi-win player. He’s fast, he’s got a glove, and he can swing hard. If the arm plays in center then he’ll be a plus out there. I don’t know if the power will ever develop but if he can ways to get on base (bunting against bad matchups could help) his offensive value will be fine. 
 

The Hicks trade I’m also fine with. I think the clear A offseason would’ve involved going above and beyond for Imai but it takes two to tango and who knows if that was possible. Hicks was another guy near the top of the wild pitch leaderboard. He has solid stuff and had good not great results in his first year starting. Last year was a disaster but that’s why you’re playing him 2 yrs/16M. Thats pretty much the going rate for a 5th starter/swingman at this point and Hicks has more upside than that. You also came out on seemingly the right end of the prospect swap as Sandlin seems to have some juice. 

The Anthony Kay move is fun. Kay has been starting in Japan the past two years and has already gotten the innings under his belt to give the Sox a full workload this year. He had a 1.74ERA which is great even by NPB standards where no one scores runs. The contract was cheap and even came with a club option for a third year which I love. I’m not sure he has star potential but his command is better and getting 150 solid innings from him doesn’t seem out of the question. 

Wade, Kelenic, and the other moves couldn’t interest me less. But I’d rather the young guys get the at bats anyway. We’ll see if Paez is able to stick with the team. Rule V has already been solid for the Sox so give it another shot I guess. 
 

Given the budget Getz had that’s not a C offseason. Kay and Hicks are cheap inning eaters with some upside. The Club option on Kay is very Hahn like and really gives that deal some major upside for helping the team once the core is ready. Murakami was an A+ move. I’m not in love with Acuna but I see the vision. Domínguez is a good upside pickup. If he gets his control to just sort of bad instead of 1st percentile you have a solid closer/trade piece. 
 

Im at about an A-/B+ for Getz and a B-/C+ for the Sox. My main critique of Getz is on the Robert deal but there is so much I don’t know that it’s hard to really ding him. Imai would’ve been a fun upside play if that was on the table and would have been worth missing out on Domínguez or Hayes. Seeing Getz with a budget would be fun because I think he’s a solid GM. 
 

The Sox as a whole get dinged because of Reinsdorf is cheap and doesn’t care about winning or the fans. 

This makes me feel so much better.  I'd go so far as to say we're going to be first in our division this year once you take the playing of baseball out of the equation and just focus on the effort, gumption, and stick-to-itiveness of a great group of guys trying hard in a tough situation.

[WestEddy]

Just to be clear:

Bowden’s 2026 MLB report card: Offseason grades, takeaways, predictions for all 30 teams - The Athletic

Quote

Chicago White Sox

Grade: B-

Key takeaways: I liked Chicago’s gamble on Japanese third baseman Munetaka Murakami, whose power should translate to 30 homers and around 180 to 200 strikeouts in MLB. That said, how much he gets on base and how well he plays defensively will determine if it was the right move. In addition, the White Sox were finally able to move on from Luis Robert Jr. They didn’t get a strong prospect return in the trade with the Mets, but they did shed his $20 million salary — and they later added Austin Hays to their outfield mix to help replace him and used some of the savings from Robert’s contract to take on the bulk of Jordan Hicks’ contract in a trade that netted them right-handed pitching prospect David Sandlin. The Hicks deal was particularly creative, as it adds another hard-throwing righty to their pitching staff and, more importantly, gives them a pitching prospect in Sandlin who should join their rotation sometime this season. They also signed hard-throwing reliever Seranthony Domínguez to serve as their closer.

 

[wegner]

15 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6989271/2026/02/02/mlb-offseason-grades-takeaways-2026-predictions/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAPuK09jbGNrA-4q3WV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHiBw0Sp5MC43rRIbpMaT84K3JOaGjdfdo8qIMYrs0cf2GqK0IrOyhvAsXBba_aem_AXhEhyarSST3QWVb3C_IKg&redirected=1

 

SUCK IT TWINS!!!

[southsider2k5]

3 hours ago, Sleepy Harold said:

The graphic is wrong for whatever reason, they actually have a B- in the piece.

 

Weird.  Fire the interns.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

3 hours ago, Sleepy Harold said:

The graphic is wrong for whatever reason, they actually have a B- in the piece.

 

It's almost like someone was in such a hurry to stir up more controversy that they didn't read the actual  article with the correct grade. Eyes wide shut. 

[Jake]

I don't really know how I'd grade it. It certainly could have been worse...if they didn't bring in some of these veteran types to build some depth, it's the kind of thing that leaves you a couple strokes of bad luck away from losing 120 games. Murakami was a really fun addition, although it's ultimately hard to interpret given that a two-year contract limits our ability to see him as part of a "young core" even if he is young and hopefully one of the core parts of the 2026 club. 

If the Sox went out and signed every top of market guy, I guess that would have been fun. But probably dumb, to be frank. So that wasn't my expectation. 

LouBob trade is okay. They took a gamble bringing him back and it didn't leave them with nothing. We'll see how Luisangel looks. Given that it appears most MLB teams wouldn't have taken him for $20M on the open market, turning him into anything is kind of a plus. And I think there's more potential to Luisangel than what it would look like on the back of the baseball card. 

So I don't know. I find it weird to see how a lot of national media are patting the Sox on the back like they had a really big offseason. I think I see it as more competent. This isn't the time of year I expect the Sox to be pushing the team forward just yet. It's all about developing the guys on the club. And maybe if they have set things up well, we'll look back on this offseason as more important than it currently seems.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

1 hour ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

This makes me feel so much better.  I'd go so far as to say we're going to be first in our division this year once you take the playing of baseball out of the equation and just focus on the effort, gumption, and stick-to-itiveness of a great group of guys trying hard in a tough situation.

This is pretty funny sarcasm even if you ignore the fact that many many here were telling us what a toxic environment existed in the front office and now refuse to recognize that there's been considerable improvement in the work environment for both players and management because there are more employees with defined roles and communication and information . You act as if that's a bad thing . 

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

6 minutes ago, Jake said:

I don't really know how I'd grade it. It certainly could have been worse...if they didn't bring in some of these veteran types to build some depth, it's the kind of thing that leaves you a couple strokes of bad luck away from losing 120 games. Murakami was a really fun addition, although it's ultimately hard to interpret given that a two-year contract limits our ability to see him as part of a "young core" even if he is young and hopefully one of the core parts of the 2026 club. 

If the Sox went out and signed every top of market guy, I guess that would have been fun. But probably dumb, to be frank. So that wasn't my expectation. 

LouBob trade is okay. They took a gamble bringing him back and it didn't leave them with nothing. We'll see how Luisangel looks. Given that it appears most MLB teams wouldn't have taken him for $20M on the open market, turning him into anything is kind of a plus. And I think there's more potential to Luisangel than what it would look like on the back of the baseball card. 

So I don't know. I find it weird to see how a lot of national media are patting the Sox on the back like they had a really big offseason. I think I see it as more competent. This isn't the time of year I expect the Sox to be pushing the team forward just yet. It's all about developing the guys on the club. And maybe if they have set things up well, we'll look back on this offseason as more important than it currently seems.

This is very fair. But I o think the national media just puts it in the context of there's not much money available from our lame duck owner. Some media will point it out others dont and kind of assume it's implied. 

[35thstreetswarm]

12 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

This is pretty funny sarcasm even if you ignore the fact that many many here were telling us what a toxic environment existed in the front office and now refuse to recognize that there's been considerable improvement in the work environment for both players and management because there are more employees with defined roles and communication and information . You act as if that's a bad thing . 

The only "bad thing" is that the White Sox are such a garbage franchise that we as fans are forced to set bars for "success" that are totally divorced from the only thing we should care about (the on-field success of the team), and so low that they're underground.  I understand the barriers placed in the way of Getz and others in the org by our dysfunctional ownership, and the structural limitations that make it impossible for the White Sox to truly succeed.  If some of those barriers are a little lower than they were two years ago...my reaction is:  "whatever."  I don't blame any fan for trying to find silver linings in dark clouds.  But at the end we shouldn't have to care about any of this stuff.

Edited 4 hours ago by 35thstreetswarm

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

10 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

The only bad thing is that the White Sox are such a garbage franchise that we as fans are forced to set bars for "success" that are totally divorced from the only thing we should care about (the on-field success of the team), and so low that they're underground.  I understand the limitations placed upon Getz and others in the org by our dysfunctional ownership, and the structural limitations that make it impossible for the White Sox to truly succeed.  I don't blame any fan for trying to find silver linings in dark clouds.  But at the end we shouldn't have to care about any of this stuff.

But all diehards dig into everything anyway. Look at how many people post about who gets DFA'd from the bottom of the 40 man . We' re  not the only fans who do that . 

Afterall it is a rebuild and yeah we're pissdd about how that last rebuild turned so bad so fast that we changed our attitudes about this rebuild completely from the last one.

But anyway I like the way you explained it much better this time . 

Edited 4 hours ago by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

[35thstreetswarm]

3 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

But all diehards dig into everything anyway. Look at how many people post about who gets DFA'd from the bottom of the 40 man . We' re  not the only fans who do that . 

But anyway I like the way you explained it much better this time . 

Oh yeah, I know - I'm one of them.  But I'm trying to be better.

 

But I won't be.  They'll suck me back in much sooner than the franchise deserves.

[chitownsportsfan]

48 minutes ago, Jake said:

So I don't know. I find it weird to see how a lot of national media are patting the Sox on the back like they had a really big offseason. I think I see it as more competent. This isn't the time of year I expect the Sox to be pushing the team forward just yet. It's all about developing the guys on the club. And maybe if they have set things up well, we'll look back on this offseason as more important than it currently seems.

For now competent works. We'll see how things look when we aren't just a bad team working with no expecations.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

19 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

Oh yeah, I know - I'm one of them.  But I'm trying to be better.

 

But I won't be.  They'll suck me back in much sooner than the franchise deserves.

The difference between the ladt rebuild and this one is drastic. 

The last one the buzz phrase was "mired in mediocrity". Fans understood that and saw the logic that being stuck in the middle isnt good. 

But that rebuild collasped.It was a house of cards built on an extremely unstable foundation . It wobbled for 1 .500 season before it imploded completely. Bam ! right back in another rebuild. No "sustained success" the other buzzwords of a better future. 

Fan were in shock. Recovery is slow and also wobbly . Injuries , sophomore slumps, FA implosions are all possibilties when dealing with a wide range of possible outcomes.

Sure Getz has tried to move up from dumpster diving to trusting those he hired and his vision  to keep taking steps forward but ss we learned last time  counting on upside progresd is a sliperry slope without depth. I think that why Getz doesnt trade Sosa , Quero or Taylor like some fans suggest . He's still building depth and he doesnt want to trade off a Semien or a Tatis Jr. 

There still maybe snother trade coming. He could trade Sosa tomorrow for all I know. 

But there are an awful lot of FA SP still on the market. Maybe there's someone else he's got his eye on. 

Don't think its possible but there would be an uproar if they could snag Verlander even at his advanced age. 

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

Seems about right to me. They did what you'd expect an average team in their position to do. Which is a step up for them from the F and D of the past two offseasons.

Problem is Jim Bowden the GM makes Getz look like Friedman.

Edited 3 hours ago by Look at Ray Ray Run

[Jake]

1 hour ago, chitownsportsfan said:

For now competent works. We'll see how things look when we aren't just a bad team working with no expecations.

Yes...last offseason was the easiest one. This one is next easiest. They will keep getting harder to "win" unless they start to lose.

[WBWSF]

I  think it has to be rated higher than a C  Like I've said before, The White Sox Are Coming, Tra La, Tra La!!!!