Turnover is coming all across the White Sox’ roster after 101 losses, but the end of the 2023 season marked the potential swan song for three mainstays.
Yasmani Grandal, Liam Hendriks and Tim Anderson were at the top of their games in powering the Sox to a 2021 division title, but injuries and declining performances have clouded their futures.
“I have unfinished business here,” Hendriks said. “It was a different attitude when I got back this year. Think we already had almost given up at that point. Now hopefully we have a bunch of young guys who are eager to learn and improve and to listen and hopefully take that next step forward next year and maybe add a couple of guys around to supplement that and be back to winning.”
Hendriks is unlikely to pitch beyond a few weeks at most in 2024 because of Tommy John surgery, so the Sox secured a deferral option on the last year of his contract. By declining Hendriks’ option, the Sox would pay the $15 million owed to him in 15 annual installments, rather than tying up a substantial amount of payroll room for a player who will be rehabbing most of next season.
It all makes cold, logical sense, except for the part in which Hendriks’ energy, charitable efforts and inspiring return from cancer have made him one of the few bright spots on this Sox team. The Sox could struggle to recruit veterans, but that wouldn’t be the case with Hendriks, which at least provides hope that an alternative deal could be worked out to keep him in Chicago.
“Other than yelling at him as he walks past, not so much,” Hendriks said when asked if he has spoken with general manager Chris Getz about his future. “But there’s a lot going on there, and I’m not exactly anticipating too much.”
Anderson was the heartbeat of the Sox and arguably their best player in the first half of 2021. But a discussion of his $14 million team option for 2024 would begin with him being a 30-year-old shortstop beset by injuries that have contributed to the worst season of his career and a startling erosion of his power. He hasn’t played 130 games or more in a season since 2018.
Getz has held off on committing to retaining Anderson for next season, and with nothing definitive to add, Anderson politely declined an end-of-year session with reporters Sunday.
Signing what was then the biggest free-agent contract in franchise history, Grandal took over as the Sox’ starting catcher in 2020. This year, he was reduced to a reserve role, mentoring trade acquisition Korey Lee. The Sox obviously will be moving on from the veteran backstop as his four-year deal ends this season.
After a solid start, Grandal hit .211/.289/.292 after June 1. He regards this as his first full, healthy season in a Sox uniform and came off as optimistic about playing next year.
“I’m going to test the market and see what’s out there,” Grandal said. “I’ve got two young boys that love baseball, love sports but don’t really like to be away from dad too much. I’ve got to take that into consideration, as well.”
Unable to claim success over these last four years, Grandal expressed hope that the Sox can turn it around with manager Pedro Grifol at the helm.
“He’s going to look back and understand what it is exactly that he needs to do moving forward,” Grandal said.
“They’ve got the right guy for the job, especially for a young team like they have now.”
