Chicago White Sox Hang Onto Mike Tauchman At Trade Deadline Amid Outside Interest

CHICAGO –– Mike Tauchman has been a valuable pickup for the White Sox in a variety of ways.

After signing a one-year, $1.95 million deal in December, he ranks first among White Sox with at least 115 plate appearances in batting average (.286), on-base percentage (.371), slugging percentage (.457) and OPS (.828). An eight-year MLB veteran, he's also been a vocal leader and a tone-setter for a team with the third-youngest average age.

That made Tauchman attractive to other teams at Thursday's trade deadline, but general manager Chris Getz ultimately decided to keep him.

"There was interest on Tauch. There was. Obviously not to the level in which we were willing to make a trade. But there were multiple teams that reached out," Getz said. "He's not on an expiring contract. Tauch has been –– he's had a really, really good year. He's been our most consistent bat. He really has."

"And alongside that, the way he shows up on a daily basis and the way he competes is really valuable to have around the clubhouse and in a lineup on a regular basis. That is something that should not be ignored and needed to be valued, and I value that. And now with that being said, he's not a guy that becomes a free agent at the end of the year. There's opportunity to bring him back, so that certainly was part of the calculus as well."

Tauchman will be entering his third year of arbitration going into the 2026 season, so he and the White Sox would need to agree on a salary in order for him to return to the team. The White Sox also have left fielder Andrew Benintendi under contract for $17.1 million next season and have a club option for center fielder Luis Robert Jr. worth $20 million. Tauchman could complete the trio in right field.

The White Sox are a bit shorthanded when it comes to outfield prospects, so it could make sense to bring Tauchman back for another season. Outfielder Branden Montgomery is ranked No. 2 among White Sox prosepcts, but he's only in his first season of professional baseball in 2025 and still just 22 years old.

Montgomery has already been promoted to Double-A Birmingham this year, but it's no sure thing that he would be ready for the major leagues in 2026. George Wolkow is the only other outfielder ranked in the top 20 among White Sox prospects, and he's even further away than Montgomery in Single-A and just 19 years old.

With all of that, the White Sox are open-minded in regard to bringing Tauchman back next season.

"Our options are open with Tauch. They are. He’s got value here and he’s going to have value other places," Getz said. "We didn’t have to make that decision right now. We didn’t. Certainly that was part of the equation. Alongside the fact he’s been a really productive player for us."

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