Chris Getz deserves his fair share of criticism for some of his moves ahead of the trade deadline, but pulling Randal Grichuk off the scrap heap is certainly not one of them.
What began as a low-risk flier has turned into a veteran outfield bat the White Sox should seriously consider bringing back in 2027.
When the Chicago White Sox added Grichuk to the roster in early May, expectations were understandably modest. The former first-round draft pick had gone homerless in his first 16 games with the New York Yankees and was slashing just .194/.212/.323 over 31 at-bats before being designated for assignment.
At 34 years old, Grichuk’s peak production as a hitter appeared to be behind him. Still, he represented a worthwhile flier for the White Sox, particularly because of his track record against left-handed pitching.
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Flash forward four months later, and you can argue that no player has come up with more timely hits for the White Sox this season than Grichuk.
From a game-tying home run with the White Sox down to their final out in June to a two-run, game-winning shot in St. Louis with Chicago down to its final strike, Randal Grichuk has delivered when the White Sox have needed him most.
In late-and-close games— defined as plate appearances in the seventh inning or later when the game is tied, the hitter’s team is ahead by one run, or the tying run is at least on deck — Grichuk is hitting .341 with a whopping 1.045 OPS.
In high-leverage situations, he is slashing .292/.300/.604 with four home runs and 18 RBIs. In fact, six of Grichuk’s 14 home runs this season have come in the sixth inning or later.
But it hasn’t just been his performance in crunch time that has stood out. Grichuk has also established himself as a legitimate force in the middle of the White Sox lineup.
More than half of his batted balls this season have left the bat at 95 mph or harder. That’s not a guy getting lucky or stringing together a few cheap hits. Grichuk has consistently been barreling the ball and doing real damage.
His expected slugging percentage, expected batting average, average exit velocity, bat speed, and sweet-spot percentage would all rank near the top of MLB if he had enough at-bats to qualify.
Despite his age, Grichuk’s production at the plate should put him firmly in the White Sox’s plans for next season. Will Venable has already done a good job maximizing that production, using Grichuk in a platoon with Andrew Benintendi and leaning on him against left-handed pitching.
With Benintendi still owed $15 million in the final year of his contract, bringing Grichuk back would give the White Sox a chance to continue that platoon rather than simply move on from it. Grichuk owns a 1.022 OPS against left-handers compared to a .662 mark against righties, while Benintendi has a .740 OPS against right-handers and a .511 OPS against lefties.
Put those splits together and use each hitter where he is most effective, and the White Sox could get a DH combination that slashes .288/.339/.541. That .880 OPS would rank ahead of both Ben Rice and Kyle Schwarber this season and third in MLB, behind only Yordan Alvarez and Shohei Ohtani.
Grichuk has also become a valuable veteran presence in a young White Sox clubhouse, even earning the nickname “Unc” from his younger teammates. After over a decade in the majors and 15 games of postseason experience, he brings a level of experience few players on this roster can match. That could be just as valuable to the White Sox next season as what he provides at the plate.
Given how good Grichuk has been this season, he could very well price himself out of the White Sox plans. But his age and recent contract history could work in Chicago’s favor. He hasn’t commanded an average annual salary above $5 million since 2024, so there’s a reasonable path for the White Sox to bring him back on a manageable deal.
The White Sox don’t need to break the bank to bring Grichuk back, and they shouldn’t have to. If he is willing to return on a reasonable deal, there’s little reason for Getz to let one of his best low-risk moves of 2026 walk out the door.
