The Chicago White Sox just put together a special season, rebounding from three years in a row with 100 losses to make the playoffs and make a little bit of noise before being eliminated in the ALDS.
It’s the kind of year that is dangerous, though. If a team isn’t careful, it can fall right back down into struggling yet again. It’s important not to be complacent.
There’s one way, above all else, that the White Sox could be the total opposite of complacent: They could sign Tarik Skubal.
The former Detroit Tigers ace, who was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the MLB trade deadline, is viewed more as a target for the richest teams like the Dodgers, Mets and Yankees.
But maybe the White Sox have a path here. At least one analyst thinks so.
White Sox Linked to Tarik Skubal
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden wrote in a new article on Tuesday that the White Sox are one of the three “best fits” for Skubal, along with the Mets and Dodgers.
“He’s a true ace in his prime years and will be the most sought-after free-agent pitcher for those teams that can afford him,” Bowden writes. “He’ll break all contract records for a free-agent pitcher once he signs.”
Bowden doesn’t go deeper into the White Sox connection specifically, but it’s notable just for its existence at all.
The White Sox haven’t been mentioned as a Skubal landing spot. Part of that may simply be that for years, they were a bad ballclub. They wouldn’t have made sense for Skubal.
Now that they’re winning, though, maybe that changes.
Of course, they’ll have to be able to afford Skubal.
“Anywhere from $350-$500 million depending on length of contract,” Bowden predicts of the total contract value. “He will become the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history in terms of AAV and guaranteed dollars.”
Could White Sox Really Get Skubal?
A link like this will have some fans reacting quite skeptically. After all, it doesn’t seem like anyone that the Dodgers or Mets want these days gets away. They just raise the price until it’s too good to pass up.
But the White Sox have money to spend. They just haven’t had a great reason to spend it in recent years.
Now they do, though. It’s a chance to send a major statement of intent to the rest of baseball.
The White Sox aren’t likely to be viewed at the favorite in this process, but if they were trending toward being a “mystery team,” they’re no longer a mystery. The White Sox might just shock baseball yet again, so soon after a surprise playoff season, and make a run at Skubal in free agency.
White Sox Could Shock Mets, Dodgers With Tarik Skubal Update