The White Sox announced Friday that they signed outfielder Derek Hill to a one-year, $900,000 contract and non-tendered left-hander Cam Booser, first baseman Tim Elko and right fielder Mike Tauchman.
Tauchman being non-tendered was surprising because he was one of the leaders in the clubhouse last season. He batted 263/.356/.400 in 93 games and had the fourth-highest WAR on the team, according to Baseball Reference. He was also reliable defensively.
Booser never quite found his footing in the bullpen, sporting a 5.52 ERA for the season. Elko generated much excitement from fans because of his exploits in the minors. He was prolific at Triple-A Charlotte, batting .292/.357/.552 for the season. He also underwent surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament and would likely miss a chunk of the 2026 season.
The Sox were already thin in the outfield, but now addressing the position this winter is almost a necessity. Left fielder Andrew Benintendi will likely play more as a designated hitter because of his injury history, and now there’s a hole in right field until prospect Braden Montgomery is called up.
After the moves, the Sox’ 40-man roster is at 34.