December 10: Bruce Levine of 670 The Rating (X hyperlink) offered some monetary particulars in the present day. Tauchman will make a wage of $1.95MM and may earn an additional $1MM by way of incentives. There’s additionally a $250K relocation bonus if he’s traded.
December 9: The White Sox are in settlement with free agent outfielder Mike Tauchman, stories Scott Merkin of MLB.com (X hyperlink). It’s a serious league contract for the Meister Sports activities Administration shopper, tweets James Fegan of Sox Machine. Phrases haven’t been reported. The Sox have two openings on their 40-man roster, so no corresponding transfer is important.
Tauchman, a Chicago-area native, heads to the opposite facet of the town after spending two seasons with the Cubs. The lefty-swinging outfielder was a pleasant function participant for the North Siders. He has hit .250/.360/.372 throughout 751 plate appearances since coming back from a 2022 stint in Korea. That features a stable .248/.357/.366 exhibiting over 350 journeys to the dish this yr.
That made it considerably shocking that the Cubs opted to not tender Tauchman a contract for his second journey via the arbitration course of. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected him at a comparatively modest $2.9MM. That was evidently too expensive for a Cubs workforce that felt it’d have a tricky time getting him the identical quantity of enjoying time. Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki are lined up for outfield and designated hitter work. Alexander Canario and Kevin Alcantara made their MLB debuts late within the yr, whereas prospect Owen Caissie isn’t far off himself.
Tauchman has a a lot clearer path to enjoying time at Assured Charge Subject. He’s the second outfield acquisition of the winter for Sox GM Chris Getz. Chicago introduced in righty-swinging Austin Slater on a $1.75MM deal final month. Tauchman in all probability isn’t far more pricey. He might pair with Slater in a proper discipline platoon. The Sox non-tendered Gavin Sheets a number of weeks in the past, whereas presumptive starter Dominic Fletcher hit simply .206/.252/.256 throughout 241 plate appearances this previous season.
Whereas this isn’t a transfer that’ll meaningfully change the outfield’s ceiling, Tauchman’s plate self-discipline provides him a better ground than Fletcher. He might hit in the direction of the highest of the lineup. The Sox would absolutely be completely happy to money him in on the deadline if he’s performing properly. As a 34-year-old journeyman outfielder, Tauchman wouldn’t web an enormous return even when he has a robust first half. Nonetheless, the White Sox might theoretically flip him for a mid-tier prospect subsequent July.