5 bargain free agents the Chicago White Sox should target

Kolten Wong

He had a terrible season. It was so bad the Seattle Mariners released him. So why sign him?

He is a good clubhouse presence who can still field the ball. Wong might not be the elite defender he once was, but he can still field the position for a veteran you would want to bring in to mentor Lenyn Sosa or Jose Rodriguez.

Plus, he is going to cost you a non-roster invite whereas the rumored target Whit Merrifield is going to potentially cost the Chicago White Sox a two-year, $12 million deal.

That means Merrifield is going to clog up two years of Sosa or Rodriguez’s development at the major-league level.

Then again, Sosa or Rodriguez might be some of the players Getz does not like–even if he helped develop them.

Paul DeJong

The Sox are moving on from Tim Anderson and the rumor is the team will sign DeJong to replace him.

He is not going to replace Anderson’s bat–even with TA struggling at the plate last season–as he hit just .207 with a wRC+ of 66. He struggled at the plate after being acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays at the trade deadline he was released three weeks later. He finished 2023 with the Giants.

DeJong is a better fielder than Anderson and will not cost the Chicago White Sox $14 million.

DeJong is one of the best defensive shortstops in the game with his outstanding range. His defensive fWAR was 9.8.

Fielding the ball was an adventure for the Sox last season. While he is not going to slug the ball, he has some pop in his bat.

Sean Manaea

He was rumored to be a trade target in the 2022 offseason for the Chicago White Sox but the club did not have the prospects to acquire the left-handed starting pitcher.

Manaea ended up going to San Diego and struggled.

He rebounded last season with the San Francisco Giants. He finished with a 4.44 ERA, 3.90 FIP, and a 1.1 fWAR.

Manaea only started 10 games, but part of that was because of the strategy the Giants tried when it came to their rotation.

He is just two seasons removed from when he had a 3.91 ERA for the Oakland A’s.

Manaea can eat innings as he has thrown over 150 innings in four seasons. The most important thing he could bring to the Sox rotation is he is a southpaw.

The Sox’s projected starting rotation as of now lacks a left-handed starter.

He is projected to get $47 million for four years. That is a relatively affordable deal for a left-handed pitcher who will be 32 next season. The club should at least be able to get three productive seasons out of that deal.