Leave it to the White Sox to make unexpected and disappointing moves during the offseason. After opting not to protect several Top 30 prospects from the Rule 5 draft, Chicago doubled down on their surprises on Friday by signing outfielder Derek Hill, but non-tendering outfielder Mike Tauchman, first baseman Tim Elko and left-handed reliever Cam Booser.
Not tendering Booser is the only justified decision of the four. Booser, acquired in a Winter Meetings transaction in 2024, was unimpressive. His 5.52 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in 39 games made him one of the most volatile and ineffective weapons in Chicago’s bullpen. While relievers are the most volatile players in the game, letting Booser go won’t leave many regrets.
On the surprise scale, declining Elko’s contract is confusing but not irrational. Elko struggled to hit better than .150 in 23 MLB games. Although he swept into Charlotte, earned a .292/.357/.552 slash line and 70 home runs and appeared to be the next first baseman in line after Andrew Vaughn, Elko couldn’t quite get it together in the majors. As a fan, it’s disappointing that the Sox didn’t give Elko a second chance, especially since his contract would have been less than $850,000. But from a front office perspective, it’s a good move, especially since he’ll miss most of 2026 following knee surgery after turning 27 in December.
Offering Hill a one-year contract worth $900,000 after playing so little last season is also strange. He slashed .213/.275/.331 and earned a 0.8 WAR in 53 games with the Marlins before the Sox claimed him off waivers in late September, when he played just four games. While the Sox are desperate for outfield depth, Hill’s defensive inflexibility and disappointing pedigree make this signing questionable.
And worst of all, allowing Tauchman to become a free agent could easily backfire on the Sox. Tauchman surpassed his $1.95 million salary (FanGraphs’ values are inflated, but the site had him valued at $11 million through 2025) after slashing .263/.356/.400 and playing flawlessly in the field. While the right field free agent market is ripe for budget-friendly talent, Getz is betting he will outbid other teams or trade for another under-the-radar player. These are bets that are not worth making. Keeping Tauchman on the South Side should have been an easy decision, but the Sox have had confusing priorities lately.
With the Sox down to 34 players on the 40-man roster, the Sox put themselves in an awkward position for the Winter Meetings. Either Getz will follow through on his word and be aggressive in the right field and first base markets, leaving him enough money to add a starting pitcher and a few relievers, or he will be quickly outbid and forced to rely on Triple-A players to fill the holes on the roster. Knowing that owner Jerry Reinsdorf will only sign one-year deals as the labor disputes of 2027 loom, the latter seems certain.
Chicago’s latest moves may not have fans feeling all warm and fuzzy before the holidays begin, but there’s still time for the Sox to make the offseason productive.
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