With the MLB offseason getting into gear with the MLB general manager meetings, that means free agency is around the corner.

Here are the biggest needs for the Cubs and White Sox in MLB free agency, according to FOX Sports.

2025 MLB Free Agency

Chicago White Sox

Biggest need::

Pitching in starting and relief

The White Sox won 19 more games this year than they did last year. Sure, they still finished with 102 losses in 2025, but they genuinely looked like a slightly better-than mediocre baseball team in the second half of the season. They almost finished with a .500 record in July, falling just one win short of that achievement. All of which to say, there were at times flashes of encouragement from the White Sox this year. It appears we are past their infamous 2024 season, where they recorded the most losses (121) in modern MLB history.

To continue in their rebuild, they could finally trade outfielder Luis Robert Jr. after years of speculation, rid themselves of his $20 million salary, and put it to better use in the pitching staff. Chicago needs more veteran arms in the rotation and bullpen to help offset the workload of their younger pitchers. These don’t necessarily need to be quality arms. But innings-eaters will help simplify the development of top left-handed prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, since both pitchers are expected to be promoted in 2026. – FOX Sports’ MLB writer Deesha Thosar

Potential fits:

The White Sox are in an interesting position. They had Martin Perez, but he missed four months of the season with an injury. However, they need pitching to last them for the first half of the season.

Will Venable’s team is young, but getting better. They had a 19-win improvement from 2024 – albiet, it’s not hard to improve on the worst team in MLB history – but the Sox will still be without Drew Thorpe and Ky Bush for the first half of the 2026 season as they nurse elbow surgeries.

Resigning Perez, who was solid in 2025 for the White Sox, would go a long way in allowing the Sox pitching core get healthy.

Chicago Cubs

Biggest need::

Replenishing the bullpen

Brad Keller, Ryan Brasier, Aaron Civale, Drew Pomeranz, Taylor Rogers, Michael Soroka, and Caleb Thielbar have all entered free agency. That means the Cubs lost seven relievers – nearly their entire bullpen, except Daniel Palencia — this offseason. The front office not only has to restock its relief corps, but the Cubs need high-leverage arms as their top priority. They’ll have to get creative, through both free agency and trade, to replenish a bullpen that ranked 11th in ERA (3.78) and flashed the lowest walk rate (7.9%) in the majors.

Still, Cubs relievers deeply struggled to induce swing-and-miss. Chicago’s bullpen had the fourth-highest contact rate this year, better only than the Giants, Tigers, and Royals. They’ll have to do better than that to remain competitive in a Kyle Tucker-less world, since they’re not expected to bring back the highly coveted free-agent outfielder. While they could still be in the market for an outfielder, they seem comfortable with their in-house options (Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, top prospect Owen Caissie) filling out their vacancies. – FOX Sports’ MLB writer Deesha Thosar

Potential fits::

This all depends on if the Cubs re-sign Tucker. If they don’t, which is widely expected, the Cubs could shift their focus to another power hitter.

Luckily for the Cubs, there’s a power hitter on the market that’s familiar with Wrigley Field.

Kyle Schwarber was an NL MVP finalist. He was the engine behind the Phillies playoff run, and Cubs fans would instantly welcome back a former fan favorite to the Friendly Confines. He’d be cheaper than Tucker, and instantly create excitement in a critical offseason.