DALLAS – Just when it looked like the White Sox would leave the 2024 Winter Meetings at the Hilton Anatole with plenty of preparation but no big moves…

General manager Chris Getz inked a five-player contract that could transform franchise and rebuild potential.

The White Sox sent ace hurler Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox in exchange for catcher Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth and right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez. All four players were ranked in Boston’s top 14 according to MLB Pipeline, with the addition of Teel (No. 25) and Montgomery (No. 54) giving the White Sox a total of six players in MLB Pipeline’s top 60.

“When you look at the long-term health of the organization, it’s really exciting for us to bring in the type of talent that we’ve created in this area right now,” Getz said. “They’re talking about accelerating a rebuild, this was a deal that we believe can do that.”

1. The decision of Luis Robert Jr
With Getz appearing to be in the zone with the Crochet return, will a trade for Robert follow soon? The five-piece centerfield prospect is owed $15 million in 2025, followed by two team options worth $20 million, each with a $2 million buyout.

But Robert has endured another injury-plagued season, coupled with subpar results on the field in this one. Chicago will only move Robert if their demand to see him perform at the highest level is met.

“I just go back to what he can bring to the table,” Getz said of Robert. “We have to get the end of the year right and keep him on the field.

“Look at what he can do on both sides of the ball. (We will) continue to have those conversations, but we feel very comfortable having Luis Robert in a White Sox jersey.”

2. Start pitching
Crochet’s departure leaves right-handers Jonathan Cannon, Davis Martin and Sean Burke as part of the rotation, as well as Drew Thorpe, who is going through his normal offseason throwing program after undergoing bone spur surgery on his right elbow last season. Jairo Iriarte and Mason Adams are also in the picture.

Noah Schultz, the White Sox’s top prospect, and No. 2 Hagen Smith, the top two left-handed pitching prospects in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, won’t be on the team until late in the 2025 season at the earliest, and even then, they would likely be out working out of the bullpen. So Chicago needs one or two experienced starters to take over innings.

Don’t forget the bullpen, where a young core needs to be replenished with more experienced arms. But here’s a bonus question: Who will be the 2025 White Sox Opening Day starter?

3. Roster depth
Colson Montgomery, the No. 3 prospect in the White Sox rankings and No. 37 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline, will get a chance to earn Opening Day shortstop honors after spring training. The same goes for catcher Edgar Quero, the White Sox’s No. 4 prospect and No. 59 overall prospect. In addition to acquiring Meidroth as part of the Crochet deal, Chicago also has Lenyn Sosa, Brooks Baldwin and Jacob Amaya on the roster as center fielders. The team could still be looking for an experienced backup behind the field, and the same goes for the outfield, despite free-agent additions Tauchman and Austin Slater.

RULE 5 DRAFT
Smith, 24, played three seasons as part of the Brewers organization, splitting the 2024 season between Double-A Biloxi and Triple-A Nashville. The right-hander has made 73 career minor league appearances, with 16 of his 19 games as a starter coming last season for Biloxi. He posted a 3.08 ERA with 106 strikeouts and a 1.05 WHIP over 87 2/3 innings in Double-A.

With this move and the Tauchman move, the White Sox’s 40-man roster increases to 39.

“It was a clear decision for us that he was the right guy,” Getz said of Smith, who will come to Spring Training as a starter. “It was almost a consensus with our group, which isn’t always the case. In this case it just gave us more confidence to make the selection.”

GM’s conclusion
“We are fortunate to attract top-notch talent with this deal, four of them. We feel like this deal has value and volume, and so it became very obvious that we need to make a difference here.” — Getz