3 suggestions for White Sox post-Deadline

CHICAGO -- There were nothing but smiles in the White Sox clubhouse Wednesday afternoon after the 3 p.m. CT Trade Deadline passed with only veteran reliever Nate Jones being moved in a deal with Texas.

Relievers Alex Colomé, Aaron Bummer and Jace Fry, and maybe even first baseman José Abreu were all mentioned at some point in rumors, but none of them had to relocate their families midseason. But they also believe something special is forming on the South Side of Chicago, and this lack of movement was a commitment by general manager Rick Hahn to taking a real run at the postseason in 2020.

“The decision the team made to keep all the guys here is something that backs us for next year,” said Abreu through interpreter Billy Russo. “That’s something that gives you confidence, like, ‘OK, we are going to be much better next year.’ The team believes in us and we all know we can do the job.”

“There's definitely a nice vibe going on there,” Hahn said. “You heard a lot of players saying they don't want to go anywhere. They see what's coming and they want to be a part of the future here. That's very good to hear.”

Of course, not all of the players building that current White Sox vibe -- which is surviving even through this tough second-half stretch -- will be part of the team in 2020 and beyond. A good chemistry also doesn’t necessarily draw a direct connection to team success.

So how do the White Sox build toward American League Central contention next season? Here are three suggestions to build off of Wednesday’s Trade Deadline, at which the White Sox kept a strong bullpen core together for 2020 in a scenario where Hahn wasn’t forced to make any moves unless his ask was met.

1. Add elite, established talent

Hahn has said the money will be there to spend when the time is right, after missing out on the pursuit of free-agent third baseman Manny Machado this past offseason. That time should begin this upcoming offseason. It actually began going into the Trade Deadline, with Hahn looking for controllable talent in his discussions.

“Heading into this offseason, based on the progress of some of these young players, based on the progress of other young players that will be joining this roster over the coming months, I think it's very logical for us,” Hahn said. “You're going to see a heightened level of aggressiveness come this offseason.”

Adding a front-line starting pitcher and another big bat should be a priority.

2. Bring up Robert and Madrigal in 2019

Neither of these moves probably will come to fruition, with some arguing there’s no need for Luis Robert, the No. 5 overall prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline, to jump four levels in one season. But if he’s ready, he’s ready. Both Robert and Nick Madrigal will be part of the White Sox for the bulk of 2020, and getting them early big league experience in ’19 can only give them a better chance to take off in ‘20.

3. Decide Abreu’s future

Hahn made it clear Wednesday that the team won’t be offering a new contract to the impending free agent during the season, which really is no variation from past standard organization procedure. But the White Sox need to figure out where or if Abreu fits in this next stage of the rebuild.

Entering Thursday’s series finale with the Mets, Abreu had a career-worst .298 on-base percentage but had driven in 73 runs. He’s still an elite middle-of-the-order presence, but with Andrew Vaughn, the team’s top pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, quickly moving his way toward the Majors, Abreu’s future role needs to be defined.

Abreu remains an important clubhouse presence and has made it abundantly clear he wants to stay in Chicago. Rebuilds also can’t be successful on young talent alone.

“In the end, Jose or whatever other free agent has a representative, and they have a job to do and a market to test and a process to go through,” Hahn said. “But knowing that there's a preference to try to stay here is very good to hear and a positive sign for where we are as an organization.”