White Sox could be news makers at Winter Meetings

The 2023 Winter Meetings were largely uneventful and viewed as uncharacteristically ho-hum, not that the White Sox didn’t do their part to spice things up.

They signed Erick Fedde to a two-year, $15 million deal out of the Korean League, which turned out to be one of the better bargains of the offseason when he pitched like an All-Star during the first half of the season before the Sox traded him. And chairman Jerry Reinsdorf was seen meeting with Mayor Freddie O’Connell of host Nashville, their conversation making headlines following reports a move from Guaranteed Rate Field was under consideration when the team’s lease expires after 2029.

Fast forward one year and 121 record-setting losses later, and the Sox, perhaps one of only two teams with no hope of challenging for the postseason, find themselves again as potential story-makers at the Hilton Anatole in Dalals. The meetings begin Sunday with former Sox great Dick Allen knocking at the door of a possible Hall of Fame entry and conclude Wednesday, when the Sox have the first pick in the Rule 5 Draft, which could land them a player for their 26-man roster.

With general manager Chris Getz entering his second winter and having prized All-Star and Comeback Player of the Year Garrett Crochet to trade, it brings to mind the 2016 meetings when GM Rick Hahn came to Maryland and dealt Chris Sale to the Red Sox for four prospects, including Michael Kopech and Yoan Moncada. Stuck, or as he put it, “mired in mediocrity,” Hahn and vice president Ken Williams embarked on a rebuilding project by shipping Sale and on the next day, Adam Eaton, who netted Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning from the Nationals.

Many declared the Sox winners at the meetings and the rebuild was on, but it gleaned just two postseasons and brief ones at that. Sale helped the Red Sox win a World Series in 2018 and Eaton helped the Nationals win it in 2019. Now Getz will have a go at this, with considerably less enthusiasm from a disgruntled and exasperated fan base behind him, Failure 1 doing no favors as he moves ahead in the second year of Endeavor 2 for Reinsdorf.

As disheartening as it would seem to see the departure of a talent such as Crochet, who has value with two years of affordable arbitration control left on his contract, perhaps a deal for three prospects, including an organizational plum or two, or a young major-league ready player will offer hope. It will be a trade Getz can’t afford to get beat on.

Center fielder Luis Robert Jr., a 2023 All-Star who again was plagued by injuries in a bad season performance-wise, could be dealt as well. But Getz would be selling low on the 27-year-old, his considerable five-tool talent notwithstanding.

As for Crochet, the Red Sox, Phillies, Orioles and several other teams — perhaps the Cubs — seem most interested and needy in quests for deep postseason runs. The Cubs already have three lefty starters, and Getz might be hesitant to deal across town if it means propelling the city rivals. But he is friends with Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, and the Sox have made four trades with the Cubs since 2017, including the Jose Quintana swap for Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease.

Rival evaluators and scouts say Crochet will be in demand. And significant money spent on free-agent pitchers Matthew Boyd (two years, $29 million with Cubs) and Frankie Montas (two years, $34 million with Mets) make trading unproven prospects attractive.

For Robert, “the timing may be bad based on his recent value,” said one, but noted an “unusually weak” outfield market could work in the Sox’ favor. Robert is owed $15 million in 2025, with $20 million club options in ’26 and ’27.

Crochet, though, seems all but certain to be dealt. Getz dangled Cease at last year’s meetings but did not make a deal for him until spring training, so it remains to be seen whether he will go this week.

He could. Stay tuned.