Whither baseball … and the White Sox within it?

Writing for South Side Sox, Leigh Allan questions Major League Baseball's upcoming labor negotiations and explores how the Chicago White Sox fit into the sport's uncertain future. Allan argues that the presence of small-market clubs like the Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Guardians in the postseason undercuts ownership's push for a salary cap under the guise of competitive balance. He also sharply criticizes the involvement of White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and Rockies owner Dick Monfort on the owners' negotiating committee.

Looking toward the offseason, Allan suggests the White Sox are unlikely to win bidding wars for top free-agent pitching. Instead, he proposes utilizing Chicago's surplus of infield talent, including Colson Montgomery, William Bergolla Jr., and Caleb Bonemer, to explore trades for pitching help.