The Chicago White Sox are rumored to be pursuing Kris Bryant

The Chicago White Sox are rumored to be diving into the outfield free agent pool once the Major League Baseball lockout ends.

The Sox have internal options to address this position of need. Adam Engel, Andrew Vaughn, and Gavin Sheets can fill that outfield spot if needed. Prospects Micker Adolfo and Yoelqui Cespedes also provide depth in right.

The problem is those five options do not exactly put the Chicago White Sox over the edge enough to win the World Series.

Engel had healthy in 2021, Vaughn and Sheets have limited experience in right, and it is unknown if they can play good defense. Adolfo projects to be a better trade piece to get pitching help than be the player that puts the Chicago White Sox over the top.

Cespedes needs some at-bats in the minors before he is ready to make a meaningful contribution.

That is why the Chicago White Sox might look to four available free agents who can not only make the necessary impact to help the Sox not only repeat as AL Central Division champions but help win the World Series.

The Sox could be looking at a big name Chicago is familiar with. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden is predicting the Chicago White Sox to be active in the Kris Bryant sweepstakes.

Bowden is the former Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals general manager so he still maintains connections in baseball’s inner circle.

This is really the first time the Southsiders have been linked to Bryant. Prior to the lockout, Bryant was mostly linked to the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners.

If the Chicago White Sox signed Bryant, it would signal to the fan base and the other 29 teams that they are serious about winning the World Series in 2022.

Bryant would not come cheap. He projects to sign for an annual base salary of around $23 million. He is also a Scott Boras client.

The price might be worth it to acquire a former MVP, a four-time All-Star, World Series winner, and a player with a career of 28.7 Wins Above Replacement (WAR).

Fangraphs.com’s ZIPs projection has Bryant declining at the plate over the next three seasons so there is a buyer beware.

In the short term, he can help the Chicago White Sox with their ground ball problem. Bryant has a career 43% fly ball percentage. He does play well in right field with just four career errors.

He can also man third base and left field. That is vital on days the White Sox have Eloy Jimenez as the designated hitter or Yoan Moncada needs a day off.

Would Bryant signing with the Chicago White Sox ruin his Chicago Cubs legacy?

Bryant coming back to Chicago’s south side probably would not jeopardize his Cubs’ legacy.

The Chicago Cubs organization mistreated him when they manipulated his service time. That left a bad taste in Bryant’s mouth that he never could get over. The Cubs organization could have at any time made a significant offer to get Bryant to stay on Chicago’s north side. That offer never came according to Bryant.

Bryant helped end the curse in 2016 when the Cubs finally won the World Series after a 108-year drought.

If Cubs fans want to hate on Bryant because their front office never showed him the money, that is fine. Remember, the Cubs did not win a World Series for over a century until Bryant started playing third base and the outfield at Wrigley Field.

Please keep that in perspective in case Bryant decides on returning to Chicago but on the Southside.