White Sox Not Expected To Match Franchise-Record Payroll

Following a disappointing season, the White Sox head into the offseason with weaknesses throughout the roster. Newly appointed general manager Chris Getz faces the challenge of turning things around, potentially with a tighter budget than the previous front office had last offseason.

According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the ChiSox began 2023 with approximately $181MM in contracted obligations, which is about $12MM less than their ’22 figure, the highest in franchise history. Dan Hayes of the Athletic reports that the Sox are unlikely to match the franchise-record mark and could scale back relative to their ’23 spending level as well.

While this news may be disheartening for the fanbase, it’s worth noting that Getz and his front office still have significant financial flexibility. With around $84.5MM in guaranteed commitments for 2024 and a projected arbitration class of around $17MM, there is a substantial gap between their committed funds for next season and the $180-190MM range. This could potentially allow for multiple free agent acquisitions.

However, targeting middle-tier free agents may be a debatable decision for the organization. Getz openly admitted that the roster is “not a well-rounded club” at the recent GM Meetings. Dylan Cease is the lone above-average starting pitcher and Michael Kopech seems likely to occupy a spot in the Opening Day rotation, but beyond that, the pitching options are limited. Similarly, the position player group is top-heavy and in need of multiple middle infielders and offensive support in various positions.

Addressing all of these challenges in a single offseason would be difficult, regardless of the budget constraints. It appears that the club will not pursue a complete teardown and rebuild, but will instead focus on reshaping the coaching staff and addressing the flaws in the roster under second-year manager Pedro Grifol. The task ahead is certainly a challenging one for the front office.