The Chicago White Sox made a surprising decision ahead of the non-tender deadline on Friday night, opting not to tender a contract to former Chicago Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman. Considering the White Sox opted to hold onto Tauchman at the MLB trade deadline, the impression was that the rebuilding White Sox would keep the veteran around. Instead, the 34-year-old outfielder is a free agent once again.
As he did during his time on the North Side, Tauchman proved to be a capable hitter for the White Sox last season. Injuries limited him to only 93 games, but he managed to post a slash line of .263/.356/.400 with a wRC+ of 115 and 9 home runs.
Puzzling decisions. The #WhiteSox should’ve traded Mike Tauchman at the deadline and the Cam Booser deal is another rough one from this front office. https://t.co/YIIs2sIIlB
— James Fox (@JamesFox917) November 21, 2025
Mike Tauchman's sudden free agency will have Cubs fans begging for a reunion.
As was the case with Christopher Morel being designated for assignment earlier this week, it would seem likely that Cubs fans will be calling for a reunion with Tauchman. On the surface level, it makes sense. The Cubs are losing an important outfielder in Kyle Tucker, and Owen Caissie is expected to take his place. As insurance for the rookie, in a vacuum, it makes sense for fans to consider Tauchman as a logical fit.
It's not as straightforward. While the Cubs likely will be in the market for an outfielder at some point this offseason, chances are they will be looking for a right-handed hitter. With Caissie and Pete Crow-Armstrong batting from the left side of the plate, the Cubs will be looking for balance. A veteran like Rob Refsnyder makes more sense for the Cubs than a reunion with Tauchman.
With Moises Ballesteros also expected to have a larger role in 2026, adding Tauchman as a purely left-handed bat on the bench doesn't make much sense either.
Speaking of the Cubs potentially looking for a right-handed hitting outfielder, Adolis Garcia was non-tendered by the Texas Rangers. A potential bounce-back candidate after hitting 19 home runs with a .665 OPS last season, the 2023 World Series could be an intriguing target for the Cubs as they look to add to their offense around the margins.
