Miguel Vargas absolutely obliterated the 30-homer mark this season, more than doubling his WAR from last year and racking up a massive 101 walks. That kind of breakout campaign makes his upcoming arbitration negotiations with the White Sox a no-brainer, and honestly, if they don’t lock him up long-term, it would be an egregious mistake.
Lock Up the Heartbeat of the Lineup
Vargas isn’t just hitting dingers, he’s the heartbeat of that team, making everyone in the lineup better. He’s integral to their success, both at the plate and holding down the hot corner. Forget the noise about three infield prospects, even their new golden boy Roch Cholowsky, coming up through the ranks. Vargas has played way past his projected $5.4 million arbitration estimate for 2027. We’re talking about a guy who makes the team better every single game. The smart money move here is to triple that estimate and buy out his contract for the rest of the decade. For a team trying to squeeze every single playoff game out of a young lineup, not extending Vargas would be a huge misstep. They need to keep him around.
Two Crucial Role Players Who Bring the Goods
Beyond Vargas, the White Sox have a couple of other guys they should absolutely keep around for 2027, given their bottom-third payroll and deep Triple-A talent pool.
First up is Brenton Doyle, an August pickup who immediately showed why he’s considered the second-best glove in their outfield. His projected $3.66 million arbitration price tag is a steal for a guy with a perfect fielding percentage and that occasional pop in his bat. Yeah, he can be a bit inconsistent at the plate, but having a Gold Glove-caliber outfielder to pair with Tristan Peters, especially when games are coming down to the wire, is invaluable. Plus, with Will Venable’s far-from-orthodox pitching philosophy, that extra line of defense on the field will pay serious dividends. Doyle might not be a starter, but he brings that veteran stability and defense a young, streaky lineup desperately needs. His presence is not to be taken for granted.
Then there’s Huascar Brazobán. Look, he didn’t exactly blow the Windy City away after he came over from the Mets in August, but cutting him loose would be leaving talent on the table. With the Mets, he was dealing with a 2.56 ERA and a 1.006 WHIP. After the trade to the South Side, those numbers dipped to a 4.40 ERA and 1.395 WHIP, and he started having some control issues. Is it the league switch? Just typical reliever volatility? Who knows, but the Sox know he can pitch better. He absolutely knows how to miss bats. For an estimated $1.6 million, taking a chance on unlocking his full potential is a gamble worth making.
The White Sox have some big decisions coming up as they look to build their roster for 2027. Keeping these three guys is crucial for their long-term vision, especially with the financial flexibility they’ve got. They need to make the right moves to keep pushing that young core forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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