At the start of the season, the Chicago White Sox were one of the favorites to win the American League Central and compete in the MLB playoffs. That prediction was based on the first-place finish in 2021 and the lack of talent throughout the rest of the division.
But the White Sox fell flat under manager Tony LaRussa and did not even make the 2022 postseason. LaRussa left the team in August for health reasons and he never returned. The White Sox named Pedro Grifol, a bench coach with the Kansas City Royals, as their new manager for the 2023 season.
The White Sox still have plenty of talent, but general manager Rick Hahn will have to make a few changes to the roster. Veteran first baseman Jose Abreu is likely to leave through free agency and the White Sox also need help on the mound and behind the plate. Here's a look at the 3 best free agents for Chicago's South Side franchise.
3. Bring in Josh Bell to man 1st base
There's little doubt that Jose Abreu has been the most consistent run producer for the White Sox for several years. However, he is 35 years old and the team has indicated that Abreu is free to go elsewhere in free agency.
That means the White Sox need to bring in a legitimate slugger to man the position, and the belief here is that Josh Bell would be a solid candidate. Bell, 30, had a slash line of .266/.362/.422 while splitting time between Washington and San Diego last season.
Bell hit 17 home runs in 2022, but he should be able to approach 30 home runs and possibly exceed that number. He belted 27 home runs in 2021 and he had a career high 37 home runs in 2019. The friendly dimensions on the South Side of Chicago should appeal to Bell, and he would fit in well if Abreu goes elsewhere.
2. Improve the catching position by signing Christian Vazquez
The White Sox have been deficient at the catching position because they made a poor decision by bringing in Yasmani Grandal before the 2020 season. Grandal is not an adequate receiver and he lacks consistency at the plate.
All good teams must have strength behind the plate, and Christian Vazquez is a sharp and dependable receiver who has done solid work with the Boston Red Sox. The catcher was sent to the Houston Astros at the trade deadline, and he has made offensive and defensive contributions with the Astros in the postseason.
Vazquez belted 23 home runs and drove in 72 runs in his peak offensive season of 2017, and while he has not matched those numbers since, he slashed .274/.315/.399 with 9 home runs and 52 RBI for the Red Sox and Astros this year.
Vazquez builds excellent relationships with his pitchers and he is very dependable as a pitch framer and from a defensive perspective.
1. Solidify the starting pitching with Chris Bassitt
The pitching staff was a disappointment for the White Soxg pitc in 2022. While Dylan Cease had a remarkable season as the ace of the staff, the other White Sox startinhers were vulnerable far too often
Bassitt has come through with excellent seasons for both the Oakland A's and New York Mets. Bassitt is very dependable and has shown the ability to take the mound every fifth day and perform extremely well.
He had a 3.42 ERA last year with a 1.14 WHIP in 181.2 innings pitched in 2022. He allowed 0.94 home runs per 9 innings and opponents hit just .233 off of him.
While the W-L record has lost much of its significance over the last 20 years, Bassitt was 12-4 in 2021 and 15-9 last year, and he has had four straight winning seasons. He offers the kind of mound consistency the White Sox were missing in 2022.
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