I didn't want to write a look ahead to 2027 for at least another week, but the reality is that the Chicago White Sox didn't make the American League Championship Series. So over the next few days I will take a look at how the Sox's roster will appear in 2027.
We'll break this down by outfield, infield, catching (there's enough moving parts there that the position gets its own article), starting pitching, and bullpen. Some players might get listed in multiple groups, since some guys play multiple positions.
For the sake of simplicity and my sanity, we'll ignore any potential 2027 labor strife and assume next season goes a full 162 with today's contract rules. We'll examine current MLB players and some prospects.
I used Spotrac to source contract info and Baseball Reference for stats. I will also have a tentative batting lineup, including DH, for you in the final position player article.
The 2027 Chicago White Sox Outfield
Outfield overview: As I work through this, I don't suspect the Sox position player roster will change much for 2027, nor should it. Most of the White Sox's biggest offensive and defensive flaws are internal and should be addressed by coaching. That doesn't mean adding All-Star level players in their career prime wouldn't be a good idea -- but it does mean that if the Sox run back the 2026 roster without major changes, I won't be upset. Especially when it comes to the infield. But that's for later.
There probably is some room for improvement in the outfield -- Randal Grichuk and Tristan Peters might not be long-term answers, for example. We'll see.
Let's get into it, moving from left field to right and then looking at backups and prospects.
Sam Antonacci
Antonacci's defense in left field improved over the course of the year, but he's still the first one I'd lift for a defensive replacement. He can also play infield, but I would only use him there as a sub when one of the main infielders needs a rest or if there's a late-inning shuffle. I liked his ability to get on base as a leadoff man. I leave the edgy Antonacci in left next year and bat him leadoff.
Tristan Peters
The rookie had a 3.6 WAR this year. He doesn't always look like a starter to the eye test, but he was an All-Star, was a hot hitter near the end of the first half, and he recovered from a bad slump to have key hits near the end of the regular season. He's my starting CF for now -- the Sox have options if his rookie year was a fluke. We'll get into that below.
Braden Montgomery
Of all the players received from the Boston Red Sox in the Garrett Crochet trade, which included second baseman Chase Meidroth and catcher Kyle Teel, Montgomery might have the most raw talent. But he had a rocky rookie year after hitting a walk-off homer in his debut. Still, he's a switch hitter with a little pop in his bat -- if he can refine his game with time, he should be the starting RF for years to come. I don't think about moving him or replacing him. Instead, I work on cutting down his strikeouts and improving his defense this offseason.
Randal Grichuk
Here's the first big decision for Sox general manager Chris Getz. Grichuk killed lefty pitching and is a serviceable backup/defensive replacement. He was also a good clubhouse guy, it seems. But he'll be 36 next summer and he's a free agent this winter. I'd probably bring him back on a cheap one-year flyer, but with Caleb Bonemer on the way and Brenton Doyle under control, his loss might not be hard to absorb.
Andrew Benintendi
Here's another tough one. Benintendi can play outfield or DH, but he struggled at the plate late in the year and in the playoffs. He has one year left with Chicago and he's only 31. And he bats left-handed. Does he stay as a backup? Or do the Sox look to move him to fix another spot? If I am the Sox, I dangle him and see what I can get.
Brenton Doyle
The trade-deadline addition is a good defensive replacement. He got some starts because his bat heated up a bit, but I peg him more as the first glove off the bench in the late innings of a close game.
Tommy Pham
The 38-year-old is mostly a DH now, and probably not going to be here next year. He's a rental who made little impact, good or bad, in 2026. He won't be back.
Junior Perez
He's just a guy. If he's here at all next year, he's on the end of the bench.
Luisangel Acuña
The utility man will likely still play some center field as a defensive replacement next year, even with Doyle here.
Caleb Bonemer
He's a top Sox prospect and while he can play third base, a full infield means he is destined for the outfield. The question is, when will he get here? I can see him getting some run in the second half of 2027, or the Sox waiting until 2028.
Rikuu Nishida
Although he can play right field, he was unremarkable during short stints in the bigs this year. He's a zero WAR player. Still, he could contribute down the line.
2027 Starting White Sox Outfield
Barring major trades or FA signings, which I don't think the Sox need for the outfield, I suspect the 2027 Opening Day outfield is Antonacci, Peters, and Braden Montgomery, with some combination of Brenton Doyle, Randal Grichuk, and Andrew Benintendi coming of the bench -- and Bonemer perhaps coming up in the second half.
That might sound boring, to run things back. But that's a good thing! It means not only was this Sox team well put together, but set for the future.
I do have questions -- can Peters maintain the magic? Is Grichuk someone worth re-signing? Should Benintendi be shopped? But I am not advocating for a major free agent signing or blockbuster trade in the outfield. That doesn't mean Getz should pass if a mid-career star becomes available -- it just means there aren't big holes to fill. Spoiler alert -- that will be true of the infield, too. Pitching is where the roster will need the most change.
But that's for later. Today is outfield day.
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