White Sox Offseason Moves That Already Look Smart

In mid-November, the White Sox struck a deal with the Boston Red Sox. The trade sent lefty relief pitcher Chris Murphy to the South Side for Ronny Hernández, who was a young catcher fresh off a stint in Single-A ball. A lesser-known arm who missed the entirety of the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery, it wasn't the kind of deal that was going to bring many Sox fans to their feet.

Nevertheless, Murphy pitched well in his return from surgery in 2024. The Red Sox used him in 23 contests, where he recorded a 3.12 ERA in 34.2 innings pitched. He struck out 30 batters, allowed just 12 earned runs, and finished with a 3-0 record.

Considering how many young, high-upside pitchers sit inside the Sox' system, it was unclear exactly how big a role Murphy might play coming into the year. If one thing is for sure, there wasn't going to be much attention on him in Arizona as several prospects fought for a potential roster spot.

To his credit, though, Murphy demanded that attention the deeper the Sox got into camp. He finished spring training with a 2.08 ERA across seven games. He gave up just a trio of runs, walked only a trio of batters, and struck out 11. If anything, it was the kind of performance that suggested last year's effectiveness out of the pen wasn't a fluke. And that's very exciting news for a Sox team eager to take the next competitive step.

Indeed, Murphy has the profile of a pitcher who could help this group a lot. He can attack all kinds of batters with one of the deepest arsenals in the Sox' pen. To be clear, he struggled at times with his command last season, but the overall results also speak for themselves. Especially when we consider that the Sox' starting rotation has some holes, a relief arm like Murphy could prove to be incredibly important early on this season.

Signing Austin Hays

You can't run out a starting lineup of first and second-year players and expect to win at a high level. The White Sox were always going to have to target proven veteran role players if they ever wanted to turn the tide. And they found a good one in Austin Hays.

The 30-year-old arrives in Chicago after spending time with three other franchises. The large majority of Hays' major league experience came with the Baltimore Orioles, where he played for roughly six and a half years. Baltimore eventually traded him to the Phillies in 2024, only for him to then spend the 2025 campaign with the Cincinnati Reds.

A one-time All-Star, Hays career has certainly come with its ups and downs. But there is also a reason he continues to get a chance to contribute in a meaningful way. While Hays may not be the star-level player some once hoped, he has turned into the kind of outfielder you don't need to worry much about.

Is he the most explosive power hitter? No, but he has smashed at least 15 homers in three of his past four seasons. Is he constantly finding his way on base? Maybe not, but his .748 OPS is perfectly average. Will he make the miraculous save in right field? Let's just put it this way: He won't make a bonehead mistake!

At the end of the day, Hays is a very serviceable veteran for a team that has lacked that in recent years. He has also seen firsthand what it takes to go from one of the league's worst to frisky with the Orioles, and he was even part of a postseason push with a young Reds team in 2025 before falling short. Hays just makes a lot of sense for this Sox squad, and he showed that with a spring training where he slashed .360/.396/.660 in 16 games.

Taking a Chance on Anthony Kay

The Chicago White Sox are hoping to repeat the Erick Fedde success story.

Once again, the franchise has inked an overseas reclamation project. Anthony Kay spent time within the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, and Chicago Cubs systems before taking his talents to the Nippon League. Over the last two seasons, he quickly climbed the ranks, posting a ridiculously impressive 1.74 ERA during his 24 starts during the 2025 season.

While there isn't an expectation that Kay will find that same elite success in the majors, he has already given the Sox reason to believe they made the right move. His first five outings in Arizona were rock solid. He allowed just four earned runs over those performances and compiled 15 strikeouts. Even more impressive, Kay only walked six batters and had arguably the best command of any Sox starter.

Now, it's worth mentioning that Kay's sixth and final Spring start went off the rails. He gave up seven earned runs and hit two batters in the performance against the Athletics. It's obviously not what manager Will Venable wanted to see right before the season gets underway, but it's likely something he can shake off thanks to other productive results.

Again, returning to the majors is going to present Kay with a whole new challenge. But the 31-year-old demonstrated over the last few weeks why the Sox were high on his signing this winter. There is real potential for him to emerge as one of the rotation's most dependable arms this season.