The Chicago White Sox have made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. They’re in the thick of American League contention and have the foundation of a team that should be striving to win the World Series. The problem? They’re yet to win a playoff series with this core.
Manager Tony La Russa’s club is stacked, but they have voids to fill across varying parts of their roster. Fortunately for Chicago, those voids can still be filled on the free agent market.
Here are two players the White Sox should sign after the MLB lockout.
Josh Harrison gives Chicago White Sox a plug-and-play veteran
Retaining Leury Garcia was a no-brainer for Chicago. One could argue that signing Harrison is a no-brainer, as well.
Harrison brings a little bit of everything to the table. For starters, he makes consistent contact at the plate, seldom strikes out and has some pop from the right side. Defensively, he’s a proven second baseman who has also played the hot corner and left field over the last two years.
Harrison’s game fits on any MLB team. As it concerns Chicago, Harrison will have to compete for a spot in the opening day lineup, as Garcia and Danny Mendick likely have a leg up. That said, Harrison is certainly capable of winning the job. Even if Harrison doesn’t do that, he can play a vital role in the depth chart.
- Josh Harrison stats (2021): .279/.341/.400, eight home runs and 60 RBIs across 505 at-bats
The White Sox have been bitten by outfield injuries over the last two years. Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez each missed considerable time in 2021. Harrison can be Chicago’s backup second baseman and left fielder, giving them multifaceted depth.
At this stage of his career, Harrison is best suited for a contending team. He assumes a crafty role on a loaded and ever-improving Chicago team. Harrison gives the White Sox a second player who provides defensive versatility in both the infield and outfield (Garcia is the other).
Harrison perfectly complements Chicago’s establishment.
Related: Where do the Chicago White Sox stand in our MLB power rankings?
Chicago White Sox re-sign Carlos Rodon
Surely, playoff teams need to make impactful and savvy transactions to win a championship. That said, they also need to preserve what got them in a position to succeed to begin with, which means keeping core pieces in place. Last season, Rodon was an indispensable part of the White Sox winning the AL Central for the first time since 2008.
Yes, Rodon was limited to 24 starts due to a shoulder injury and struggled in the postseason. Had injures not hampered his 2021 campaign, though, Rodon likely wins the AL Cy Young. He was dominant.
- Carlos Rodon stats (2021): 2.37 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 185 strikeouts across 132.2 innings (24 starts)
Rodon logged strikeouts and kept runners off the basepaths at a high level while evading trouble. He found success by heavily relying on his fastball while frequently mixing in his slider.
Although he’ll inevitably have to shake up his pitch selection moving forward, Rodon was Chicago’s best starting pitcher last season and broke out under a new coaching staff; there’s reason to believe he can build on his auspicious campaign and add a new dimension to his arsenal.
The White Sox can financially afford to invest in Rodon because fellow starter Dallas Keuchel is on an expiring contract. In thought, Rodon’s contract replaces Keuchel’s down the road. Rodon, Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn and Dylan Cease make for a sturdy rotation that has the collective potential to be elite this coming season.
Losing and not replacing Rodon (Clayton Kershaw is the only other free agent starting pitcher still available who consistently poses a top-of-the-rotation threat) would be a difficult pill for the White Sox to swallow.