White Sox avoid arbitration with Cease, 6 other players

The White Sox avoided salary arbitration with all seven of their eligible players on Thursday.

Dylan Cease was the biggest name agreeing to a one-year contract. The Sox's starting pitcher will make $8 million this season after being paid $5.7 million in 2023.

Infielders Nicky Lopez ($4.3 million) and Andrew Vaughn ($3.25 million) and pitchers Michael Kopech ($3.0 million), Michael Soroka ($3.0 million), Touki Toussaint ($1.3 million) and Garrett Crochet ($800,000) also agreed to one-year deals.

Cease has attracted strong trade interest, but new general manager Chris Getz's asking price is high. He's in no rush to trade the White Sox's best pitcher.

“It’s ever-evolving in terms of the urgency of other clubs,” Getz said. “It could be in the off-season, it could be at the (July 30 trade) deadline, it could be in May. There’s just so many factors when you’re talking about 29 other clubs. We’ve got a strong front office, a coaching staff, we’re regularly communicating with other clubs and certainly collaborating amongst ourselves.”

New assistant GM:

With Jeremy Haber leaving the White Sox, Jin Wong is replacing him as assistant general manager.

Wong spent the past 24 seasons with Kansas City and was the Royals' vice president/assistant general manager the last two years. Like Haber, Wong will oversee contract negotiations, salary arbitration, budgeting and payroll management.

Haber was in the Sox's front office for 11 years.

“Jeremy and I have been working together closely for seven years,” GM Chris Getz said. “I don't like the fact he's not going to be part of the White Sox family anymore but certainly wish him well. Very bright guy, he's done a lot for the organization and myself.”