The Chicago White Sox are moving forward with a significant front office hire, the latest attempt by chairman Jerry Reinsdorf to address the structural failures that produced a 121-loss season in 2024.
The role remains undefined publicly, but the timing—mid-November, three weeks before the Winter Meetings—suggests Reinsdorf and general manager Chris Getz are creating a buffer layer between ownership and baseball operations. The White Sox finished 41 games out of first place last season, the worst margin in franchise history. Season ticket renewals are tracking 22% below 2023 levels, according to two people familiar with the sales data. The hire is expected before Thanksgiving.
What matters here is not the role itself but the sequence. Getz, 36, was promoted to GM in August 2023 after Rick Hahn's firing, a move widely interpreted as cost containment rather than strategic reset. Getz has no major-league playing experience and minimal front office track record outside the White Sox system. Adding a senior executive now—whether titled president of baseball operations, senior advisor, or executive VP—creates plausible deniability when Getz inevitably struggles to attract free agents to a rebuild with no visible end date. It also gives Reinsdorf, 88, someone to blame when the 2025 season starts poorly. The White Sox open against the Detroit Tigers on March 27; if they lose 95 games again, Getz will not be the only name attached to the failure.
The organizational culture problem is real. Pedro Grifol was fired as manager in August after 89 losses in 130 games. His replacement, Grady Sizemore, went 4-11 to close the season. The White Sox have now cycled through three managers since 2020—Tony La Russa, Grifol, and Sizemore—without addressing the underlying talent deficit. The 40-man roster currently includes 12 players with an OPS+ above 100 last season, and only three of those are under 27 years old. The farm system ranks 22nd by consensus prospect lists. Free agents are not taking calls.
The new hire will inherit a payroll projected near $90 million for 2025, down from $118 million in 2024. That leaves roughly $30 million to spend if Reinsdorf matches his 2023 budget, which would rank 28th in MLB. The White Sox have not signed a free agent to a contract exceeding $50 million guaranteed since Yasmani Grandal in November 2019. Grandal was released in July 2024 with $18.25 million still owed.
What to watch: the Winter Meetings run December 9-12 in Dallas. If the White Sox announce the hire before then, it signals Reinsdorf wants the new executive visible on the Hilton Anatole floor, shaking hands, rebuilding credibility with agents. If the hire comes after, it suggests the role is administrative rather than transactional. Also worth tracking: whether the new executive reports to Getz or sits above him. The org chart will clarify intent.
Reinsdorf has owned the White Sox since 1981. The team has won one World Series in that span, in 2005. The current rebuild, if you can call it that, began in 2017. It has produced zero playoff series wins.
The takeaway
The hire timing suggests Reinsdorf is building accountability scaffolding around Getz before free agency begins, not empowering him.
Editorial & Disclosure Notice: This article was written with artificial intelligence from public sources and is published without individual human review. Artificial intelligence and other digital tools are also used for research, analysis, editing, formatting, and production. Errors, omissions, outdated information, or inaccuracies may occur. References to companies, brands, products, services, organizations, or individuals are for informational and editorial purposes and do not imply endorsement, sponsorship, affiliation, partnership, or approval unless expressly stated. All trademarks and other intellectual property remain the property of their respective owners. Opinions, analysis, estimates, and commentary are informational only and should not be construed as financial, investment, legal, tax, medical, procurement, or other professional advice. Information may be corrected, clarified, or updated after publication. Corrections or removal requests: jenny@pops4.com.
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