MLB Executives Give Bad News to White Sox Fans in Offseason Poll

It’s unusual to see real MLB movement before Thanksgiving. The Winter Meetings and early December typically drive most of the offseason action, and November often comes and goes without much substance.

This year, it’s been a different story.

Josh Naylor signed a five-year deal with the Mariners right out of the gate, and a few notable one-for-one trades have already made headlines.

The Angels dealt Taylor Ward — who hit 36 home runs in 2025 — to Baltimore for young right-hander Grayson Rodriguez. The Mets sent Brandon Nimmo to Texas for Marcus Semien. And the Red Sox acquired Sonny Gray from St. Louis.

All of this has happened before the calendar even flips to December, setting the stage for a busy run toward 2026.

Chicago White Sox fans are understandably restless. The team hasn’t advanced in the postseason in 20 years — the longest active drought in the American League and second-longest in MLB. after only Cincinnati.

Chicago is also coming off a third straight 100-loss season, including a 121-loss year that stands out for all the wrong reasons. Even with Rebuild 2.0 under GM Chris Getz starting to take shape and looking promsising, fans are eager to see steps toward real improvement.

They want to see added talent, a more competitive roster, and a team involved in the offseason conversation again.

Executives Don’t Expect That This Winter

ESPN’s Jesse Rogers recently surveyed 16 MLB executives about the 2025–26 offseason, and the responses didn’t offer much optimism for the White Sox.

None of the executives predicted the White Sox would sign one of the top free agents on the market.

When asked to name “the top trade candidate of the winter not named Skubal,” Luis Robert Jr. was one of six players mentioned — a sign that rival teams see him as a realistic trade chip.

Executives were also asked which smaller-market team would make the most noise this offseason. The Pittsburgh Pirates (5), Cincinnati Reds (3), Kansas City Royals (3), Miami Marlins (3), and Tampa Bay Rays (2) are all generating buzz.

Nobody voted for the White Sox to make some noise.

Rogers noted that many small-market teams are expected to be active and spend this winter, and MLB has even encouraged certain clubs to pursue free agents more aggressively.

But for the White Sox, the expectation around the league appears to be antoher quiet offseason — likely centered on short-term deals and lower-profile veterans.

And if Chicago does make a significant move, executives seem to view a Luis Robert Jr. trade as just as possible — if not more likely — than a major free-agent addition.

It’s not the outlook fans were hoping for, but it reflects how the White Sox are being viewed externally heading into a consequential winter.

MLB Executives Give Bad News to White Sox Fans in Offseason Poll

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