Perhaps the biggest name on the free-agent market the White Sox have been linked to chasing is closer Liam Hendriks. While outfielders George Springer and Michael Brantley have both been reported as out of the South Siders’ price range, they’re reportedly eyeing Hendriks, the top reliever on the market, to take over ninth-inning duties.
Hendriks, per a Monday report, is seeking a four-year contract, which is hefty, particularly for a closer. But he was fantastic the past two seasons as the ninth-inning man in Oakland, something the White Sox don’t need to be reminded of after he blew away three of the four batters he faced in the final inning of the decisive Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series.
Adding a closer from the outside is not something the White Sox necessarily need to do. They have a cadre of young bullpen arms all coming off very nice 2020 campaigns, and any one of Aaron Bummer, Evan Marshall, Codi Heuer or Matt Foster could be considered internal candidates to take over closing duties if need be.
But whether it’s bringing back Alex Colomé — who was excellent as the White Sox closer in 2020 — or signing a different free agent like Hendriks or Brad Hand, locking in a dependable, proven arm for the high-stakes world of closing would be a good move for the South Siders. Not only would it continue their offseason mission of adding reliable pieces ahead of a season with World Series aspirations, but it would maintain the status quo for all those other relievers, allowing them to continue in the roles they flourished in last season.
"I certainly understand the logic behind wanting that sort of security or safety net so to speak, or known quantity at least. I don't think it's a must," Hahn said. "I think having enough quality arms down there and a manager like Tony (La Russa), who knows how to mix and match a bullpen, certainly could be very effective. You rattled off a handful of arms, and there's a handful of others too that we feel really good about that will help get important outs regardless of where they arise. And it's also an area that we'll continue to explore here over the coming weeks."