The rumors are seemingly going back and forth with the Chicago White Sox. Will they chase one of the big name outfielders - Yoenis Cespedes, Alex Gordon or Justin Upton - this offseason?
Some of the best players in the MLB remain unsigned at this point in the offseason, including the three aforementioned names. The White Sox made a big splash last year in signing closer David Robertson, DH Adam Laroche, outfielder Melky Cabrera, reliever Zach Duke and trading for Jeff Samardzija.
They've already traded for third baseman Todd Frazier and second baseman Brett Lawrie this offseason, but they're apparently not done yet. There have been conflicting rumors and reports regarding whether or not the team wants to add another impact bat, but the latest from FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal suggests they're leaning toward the idea.
Rosenthal says the White Sox "remain active in the outfield market" and Cespedes and Gordon are "among the possibilities." Justin Upton was previously mentioned, but it appears he's not among the latest names under consideration.
Earlier in the offseason it was said the team was looking to trade outfielder Avisail Garcia, which would allow them to perhaps shift Melky Cabrera over to right and then sign a left fielder. Gordon is arguably the best defensive left fielder in the MLB and Cespedes possesses attractive all-around tools on offense and defense, so it's clear why the White Sox would be interested in adding one of them.
Additionally, signing Gordon would take away from the defending World Series champion Kansas City Royals and could give the White Sox an immense advantage in the AL Central.
However, Gordon is looking for a contract that pays him $20 million annually and Cespedes is said to be looking for a six-year, $150 million deal. Chicago can probably make that work, but they'll have to get creative with the financials since their 2016 payroll is projected to reach almost $120 million. The good news is that they'll have over $30 million come off the books after next season, which puts them in a good position for their future payrolls.
It's not clear how the White Sox plan to go about this, but they're likely seeing how each player would fit into their future plans if they continue to consider the idea of signing one of them.
Stay tuned for updates, as the White Sox could be the next MLB team to sign a big free agent.
