One of the first orders of business for the White Sox this offseason is deciding whether or not to tender a contract to their arbitration-eligible players for the 2026 season. Matt Swartz at MLB Trade Rumors recently unveiled his arbitration projections, with the White Sox having three players on the list.
Mike Tauchman
The veteran outfielder was mostly as advertised in his first year with the White Sox after signing a one-year/$1.95 million contract with the team last December. Across 385 plate appearances, he compiled a .263/.356/.400 line with 17 doubles, nine home runs, a 112 OPS+, 1.9 bWAR, and 1.4 fWAR. The numbers weren’t Earth-shattering, but he produced when he was available.
Unfortunately, a laundry list of injuries prevented him from consistently being on the field. He only appeared in 93 games thanks to hamstring, groin, shoulder, and knee issues that landed him on the injured list on multiple occasions. He hit just .221 across 159 plate appearances in August and September, and recently had surgery to address a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Despite his physical issues, Tauchman drew rave reviews for his veteran presence on a young team, as well as his local roots and community involvement. He also expressed a desire to return and could serve as a placeholder until top outfield prospect Braden Montgomery is ready for the big leagues. MLB Trade Rumors projects a $3.4 million salary next season, which seems fair considering what he brings to the table.
Decision: Tender
Steven Wilson
The veteran reliever was in the same boat last year as an arbitration-eligible player. The team ultimately tendered him a contract but designated him for assignment in early February. He cleared waivers and was sent to Triple-A, finding his way back to the big league roster by mid-April.
Wilson’s second season with the White Sox was a lot more productive than his first. Across 55.1 innings, he pitched to a respectable 3.42 ERA, 4.29 FIP, 1.30 WHIP, and 8.3 K/9. He also showcased his durability, pitching in 59 games while accumulating ten holds. The 31-year-old was also above average in categories such as fastball run value, breaking run value, barrel%, hard-hit%, and extension per Baseball Savant.
Wilson projects to earn $1.5 million in 2026. He is not a back-end of the bullpen arm, nor does he have overwhelming stuff. However, he took the ball and put up respectable results last season. In a bullpen full of question marks, he can fit into the equation somewhere.
Decision: Tender
Derek Hill
Hill only appeared in four games with the team last season after being claimed off waivers from the Marlins in late September. By this point in the season, Luis Robert Jr., Andrew Benintendi, and the aforementioned Tauchman had all been ruled out for the season. The team needed bodies towards the end of the season, and Hill did the job.
He projects to earn $1 million next season, which isn’t much in the scheme of things. That said, the team will have its starting outfielders back by next year with younger players waiting for their chances. The team is better off using that $1 million elsewhere.
Decision: Non-Tender
