With the two-month project that was a managerial hire complete – step right up into the sad state of affairs that was the White Sox in 2024, Will Venable – general manager Chris Getz can now focus on the team Venable guide during his first year as a manager.
The vision Getz and Venable have goes beyond 2025, however, and you know what that means in 2024: Potentially another 100 loss season following 101 and 121 in the last two seasons, especially knowing chairman Jerry Reinsdorf isn’t committing much in the way of payroll as a way of sprucing up a team in over its head against a revitalized AL Central Division.
“It’s not taking any shortcuts,” Getz said Thursday after Venable was hired. “And sometimes that can be painful at times for fans because there could be a move somewhere that will perhaps add a win for our 2025 season. But you want to build something sustainable.”
Which means All-Star left-hander Garrett Crochet, 25, who some would say profiles as the perfect building block for a sustainable starting rotation, might get traded this offseason. The Sox believe their young pitching is promising, and Crochet, with two years of club control before he can enter free agency, could net more than one young hitter needed for a lineup that produced the worst offense in baseball.
At the general managers meetings in San Antonio this week, Getz can meet face to face with GMs to discuss possibilities. Center fielder Luis Robert Jr., the Sox’ 2023 All-Star who was stung once again by an injury and a poor season in 2024, is another trade possibility. In Robert’s case, though, the Sox would be dealing away a potential star at a premium position and depleting their lineup even more, not to mention while selling low on him after he batted .224/.278/.379 with 14 homers and 23 stolen bases in 100 games.
Opposing GMs plucked right-handers Erick Fedde and Michael Kopech and outfielder Tommy Pham from Getz at the trade deadline this summer in deals that brought third baseman/outfielder Miguel Vargas and two prospects from the Dodgers to the Sox. After batting .239/.313/.423 in 30 games for the Dodgers, Vargas hit just .104/.313/.423 getting regular playing time in 42 games for the Sox.
Getz could have dealt Crochet at the deadline, too, but wasn’t satisfied with the return. His trade chips, especially Crochet, figure to be pocketed by numerous GMs of contending teams gathering in San Antonio.
“Obviously, we’re just getting the offseason started,” Getz said. “[Thursday was] essentially Day 1, officially, for a lot of free agents. There certainly will be a lot of trade interest in some of our players, and we’ll go down that path.”
Deals could bring immediate offensive help to complement a young pitching core including Jonathan Cannon, Drew Thorpe, Davis Martin, Sean Burke, Prelander Berroa, Jared Shuster, Jordan Leasure, Fraser Ellard, Jairo Iriarte and perhaps Crochet. As of now, Getz isn’t sure what the Opening Day lineup will look like, but if it includes Andrew Benentendi, Andrew Vaughn and Robert, he’ll be banking on better starts to their seasons than what they had in 2024.
In any case, Getz has talked about steering clear of shortcuts multiple times in recent months, saying it twice Thursday. Scouting departments on pro, amateur and international side will have a different look, and other changes in behind the scenes infrastructure are taking shape.
“Right now we are focused on the foundation pieces of the organization,” Getz said. “We’ve got a lot of things in place. We’ll continue to build and shape those processes. I like where we are at from a leadership standpoint. Bringing Will in is a big deal. Finding that proper partnership with myself and the front office.
“We have to think long term in all of our decisions and stay disciplined,” Getz said. “We are all competitive. We all want to do well immediately, but we have to take a step back and do what’s right for the organization.”