The White Sox Are Suddenly Linked To A Big Outfield Upgrade

On the heels of the Luis Robert Jr. trade, the White Sox now have one less outfielder and some more money to potentially spend on the rest of the roster. While Luisangel Acuna will likely take over in centerfield for the White Sox this season, he only has 3 MLB innings logged in center.

However, according to Scott Merkin, the White Sox are going to use that money to add to their roster, and they certainly could use another outfielder. Outside of Andrew Benintendi, the White Sox have a ton of guys with very little major league experience.

This is an interesting report, as the White Sox could use some help in a few positions outside of outfielder, as they could benefit from adding a veteran starting pitcher after the acquisition of Seranthony Dominguez.

However, the White Sox have been immediately connected to one outfielder after the Robert Jr. trade, as James Fox of Future Sox reports that MLB insider Bruce Levine was on 670 the Score and linked the White Sox to MLB veteran outfielder Harrison Bader.

On @thescorechicago today, @MLBBruceLevine mentioned OF Harrison Bader as a potential option. https://t.co/xZNnur9LO1

— James Fox (@JamesFox917) January 21, 2026

On top of that, Jon Morosi discussed the White Sox as a possible destination for Bader, although he had concerns on how much the White Sox would be willing to spend.

Best fit for free agent Harrison Bader after posting a career-best .796 OPS in 2025?@jonmorosi mentions the Giants, Royals and White Sox as strong potential fits. pic.twitter.com/b6dz4qo3hN

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 23, 2026

Adding Harrison Bader to the roster would be a very interesting move, as he is coming off one of his best major league seasons. Last year between the Minnesota Twins and the Philadelphia Phillies, Bader hit .277 with 17 homeruns, 54 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases. This was good for a stellar 3.9 WAR, according to Baseball Reference. 3.9 WAR would have been the highest on the White Sox by a decent margin last season.

This production primarily came out of center and left field, but Bader has primarily played centerfield in his nine year major league career. Bader is an elite defensive outfielder, so if he were to sign with the White Sox, I would imagine that he takes over in centerfield while Acuna shifts to either left or right.

Bader, now 31 but will turn 32 this season, could be a nice short term piece in the outfield. While 2025 was his most productive season at the plate, he owns a career slash line of .247/.313/.401. He averages about 15 homers, 56 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases a season. This would be a nice signing for the White Sox and he could be a very valuable piece if the White Sox chose to flip him at the deadline.

If the White Sox could get Bader for around 10 million, that would be a good use of the Robert Jr. money, as they have already spent 10 million on Seranthony Dominguez. Time will tell, but I do like to hear the White Sox are kicking around some of the better free agents left.