Outfielders Gavin Sheets and Mike Tauchman and infielder Nick Madrigal were non-tendered Friday by the White Sox and Cubs respectively Friday, bringing the players' multi-year tenures with the clubs to an end.
Sheets, 28, spent the last four years with the White Sox, with the outfielder playing in a career-high 139 games with the South Siders last year.
In addition to Sheets, the White Sox also announced that pitcher Enyel De Los Santos, who spent 15 games with the club in 2024, has been non-tendered.
The White Sox announced the non-tenders in a press release, while ESPN's Jesse Rogers reported that the Cubs would non-tender Madrigal.
In his fourth MLB season, Sheets hit .233/.303/.357 with 10 home runs and 45 runs batted in alongside a 90 OPS+, 10 points below league average.
In addition to underwhelming offensive production, Sheets struggled greatly defensively over his tenure with the White Sox, posting a -4.6 defensive WAR from 2021-2024, according to Baseball Reference.
As for Madrigal, the non-tender from the Cubs marks the end of a tenure in Chicago that began at the start of the decade as a prized prospect with the White Sox.
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After emerging in 2023 as a valuable contact-hitting and sharp fielding infielder for the Cubs spending time at both second base and third base, Madrigal's production took a significant step back in 2024.
Across 51 games with the Cubs this past season, Madrigal hit just .221/.280/.256, amounting to a measly 54 OPS+.
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Turning 28 in March, Madrigal will look for opportunities with other big league clubs as the season approaches.
Mike Tauchman spent the last two seasons with the Cubs, following a season in South Korea after MLB service time with the Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees.
A native of Palatine, Illinois, Tauchman managed a .248/.357/.366 slash line in 2024, good for a 106 OPS+ in his age-33 season.
With Tauchman's age and a crowded outfield picture that includes prospects such as Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcántara angling for big league playing time in 2025, the North Siders opted to go younger with their 2025 outfield.
While the Cubs non-tendered Madrigal and Tauchman, they also avoided arbitration with right-handed reliever Julian Merryweather, who will make $1.225 million in 2025 with the North Siders, according to ESPN's Jesse Rogers.
The Cubs also announced they avoided arbitration with catcher Matt Thaiss and pitcher Keegan Thompson, though the terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Additionally, the North Siders announced that they have tendered contracts to Isaac Paredes, Justin Steele, Eli Morgan and Nate Pearson, all of whom are arbitration eligible.
In addition to Madrigal and Tauchman, the Cubs also non-tendered pitchers Trey Wingenter and Adbert Alzolay, in addition to infielders Patrick Wisdom and Brennen Davis. All six players are now free agents.
