Evaluating How Potential Free Agent Targets Fit With White Sox
In this story:
While the Dodgers and Blue Jays are busy playing thrilling, 18-inning World Series games, the rest of MLB is busy planning for 2026. For the White Sox, that means taking another step forward with a young team and second-year manager Will Venable.
It may also come with a few notable free agent additions, although recent history suggests the White Sox won't be in play for the top names like Kyle Tucker, Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso and Framber Valdez this offseason.
But look further down the list of the top free agents, according to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, and the White Sox could be a fit for certain players. They were mentioned among the "best team fits" for five of the top 50, including three infielders, one outfielder and a familiar pitcher.
Below, we'll break down why these free agents may or may not sense for White Sox general manager Chris Getz to pursue.
(To read The Athletic's full article analyzing MLB's top 50 free agents, CLICK HERE)
21. Gleyber Torres
2025 stats: .256/.358/.387/.745, 16 HR, 74 RBI, 22 2B, 4 SB, 85 BB, 101 K, 628 plate appearances, 2.6 fWAR
Contract prediction, per The Athletic: 4 years, $52 million
Analysis: Torres is coming off his first All-Star season since 2019 with the Yankees, when he hit 38 home runs. That kind of power isn't there anymore –– he hit 16 homers in 2025 and 15 in 2024 –– but he has reliably hit over .250 throughout his career and posted a career-high .358 on-base percentage this season.
Torres, 28, began his career as a shortstop, but he's been a primary second baseman the last four seasons while staying healthy with 140-plus games played each season in that span. He graded out poorly as a defender in 2025, ranking 40th among second basemen with -5 outs above average and 70th with a -3 fielding run value.
Torres is likely an upgrade over Chase Meidroth in the short-term and could mentor the 24-year-old, but would taking away at-bats from Meidroth stunt his development? That's a key point to consider, along Torres' desire to leave a contending club in Detroit for a rebuilding organization on the south side, and whether Getz feels it's the right time for a contract of this size.
22. Jorge Polanco
2025 stats: .265/.326/.495/.821, 26 HR, 78 RBI, 30 2B, 6 SB, 42 BB, 82 K, 524 plate appearances, 2.6 fWAR
Contract prediction, per The Athletic: 2 years, $26 million
Analysis: Polanco, 31, had somewhat of a resurgence in 2025, posting the third-highest OPS of his career and hitting the second-most home runs out of his 12 seasons in MLB. He also cut down his strikeout rate from 29.2% in 2024 to 15.6%, the lowest it's been since 2020.
Like Torres, Polanco has moved from shortstop to second base in the later stages of his career and also served as the designated hitter in 89 games this season. In 112 games in 2024, Polanco ranked 86th among second basemen with a -8 fielding run value and 37th with -10 outs above average.
He'd certainly be a boost to the lineup, but the positional fit doesn't make a ton of sense with the emerging Meidroth at second base, along with Lenyn Sosa and Andrew Benintendi likely requiring at-bats as the designated hitter. A two-year deal alleviates some of that concern, but Polanco was also a key part of Seattle's ALCS run and may prefer to make another title push with the Mariners late in his career.
24. Trent Grisham
2025 stats: .235/.348/.464/.811, 34 HR, 74 RBI, 9 2B, 3 SB, 82 BB, 137 K, 581 plate appearances, 3.2 fWAR
Contract prediction, per The Athletic: 2 years, $30 million
Analysis: Grisham, 28, had the best year of his career by several measures. He doubled his previous season-high in home runs and finished with career-highs in hits, RBI, slugging percentage, OPS and WAR, while cutting down his strikeout rate and increasing his walk rate. Whether that's sustainable or an outlier will be debated, as he hit below .200 in each of the previous three seasons.
Grisham has been a primary center fielder throughout his seven-year MLB career with the Brewers, Padres and Yankees, and he won Gold Glove Awards in 2020 and 2022. Getz said several times during the 2025 season that he's committed to center fielder Luis Robert Jr. in 2025, potentially complicating the fit with Grisham, who may not want to move to a corner.
Assuming Robert and Benintendi remain with the White Sox in 2026, signing Grishman at the aforementioned price would be committing $52.1 million to the starting outfield alone. And in 2025, the White Sox carried a total payroll of $78.5 million, per Spotrac. So unless they significantly increase payroll in 2026, allocating that much to three players seems unlikely. It feels more realistic if Benintendi or Robert are traded.
29. Luis Arraez
2025 stats: .292/.327/.392/.719, 8 HR, 61 RBI, 30 2B, 11 SB, 34 BB, 21 K, 675 plate appearances, 0.9 fWAR
Contract prediction, per The Athletic: 2 years, $30 million
Analysis: Arraez, 28, led MLB with 181 hits in 2025 and was the National League batting champ in three straight All-Star seasons from 2022-24 with the Marlins and Padres. That contact ability is rare nowadays, as just seven total players hit above .300 in 2025.
Despite the intrigue of adding his bat to the top of the lineup, there are a few reasons signing Arraez may not make sense for the White Sox. He doesn't hit for power. He doesn't walk. And he's a below-average baserunner, diminishing his overall offensive profile. After playing second base, third base and left field early in his career, he has mostly played first base and designated hitter of late as a result of his poor defense. Even among first basemen, he ranked in the 4th percentile in outs above average and 17th percentile in fielding run value.
So while Arraez has consistently ranked among MLB's best in batting average in recent years, he was worth just 1.1 wins above replacement in 2024 and 0.9 in 2025 due to his shortcomings as a defender and baserunner. The White Sox don't have a surefire option at first base, but younger players like Lenyn Sosa and Miguel Vargas both took steps forward in 2025. They also have two promising catchers in Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel, one of whom could demad at-bats as the designated hitter on a daily basis.
46. Adrian Houser
2025 stats: 125 IP, 3.31 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 21 starts, 10 HR, 38 BB, 92 K, 8 HBP, 8-5 record, 11 QS, 3.81 FIP, 2.3 fWAR
Contract prediction, per The Athletic: 1 year, $4 million
Analysis: A reunion with Houser feels the most likely of these five options. The 32-year-old was outstanding in his short time with the White Sox in 2025, recording a 2.10 ERA with nine quality starts in 11 tries after beginning the season in Triple-A. That put him in the All-Star conversation before the White Sox traded him to Tampa Bay for Curtis Mead and pitching prospects Duncan Davitt and Ben Peoples.
Looking at the White Sox starting rotation next season, Shane Smith and Davis Martin appear to be two surefire members, but then it gets complicated. Sean Burke, Jonathan Cannon and Yoendrys Gomez each had positive moments mixed with some rough outings as starters in 2026. Martín Pérez pitched well in 11 games, but the 34-year-old missed most of the season with elbow and shoulder injuries and has a $10 million mutual option for next season.
There's also prospects like Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, who could make their way up to the big leagues in 2026. Drew Thorpe, Ky Bush and Mason Adams should return from Tommy John surgery at some point, too. The White Sox have also discussed the possibility of Grant Taylor moving back to the starting rotation. But for just one year and $4 million, Houser would be a solid option to fill out the staff. And who knows, maybe he pitches well and the White Sox can flip him for prospects again.
Related stories on the Chicago White Sox
Jack Ankony is the beat writer for “Chicago White Sox on SI.” He has been with the Sports Illustrated network since 2022. He graduated from Indiana University's Media School with a degree in journalism in 2022. Follow Jack on Twitter @ankony_jack
Follow ankony_jack