CHICAGO — Big news on the Chicago White Sox front.

The team announced Wednesday that SoxFest is returning to the Ramova Theatre in Bridgeport in January, albeit still in “SoxFest Lite” mode.

SoxFest at the Ramova is a reimagined version of the former SoxFests at bigger venues, without the traditional rancor of the fan Q-and-A sessions with management, the hassle of standing in long lines waiting for autographs from Sox players or a cold beer.

Last year’s SoxFest brought us the introduction of manager Will Venable, free beers from Mark Buehrle, the bad comedian/emcee who made a lame joke about departed shortstop Tim Anderson, the audible booing of Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf from a small number of fans who spotted him in the balcony and the mass booing of director of player personnel Gene Watson for insisting the Sox front office was “the best” in the major leagues.

That bold statement has yet to be proven true. Three straight seasons of 100-plus losses, including two under the watch of general manager Chris Getz, makes boasting about the front office a questionable strategy.

But improvement in 2026 is not out of the realm of possibility. A core of young talent is now in place, Venable prevented any negativity from entering the inner clubhouse and the dream of Luis Robert Jr. returning to the player he was in 2023, when he hit 38 home runs and finished 12th in the American League Most Valuable Player race, remains the same as it was in ’24 and ’25.

The Sox on Monday picked up the $20 million option on Robert, as Getz suggested they would after not dealing him at the trade deadline. There is another $20 million option after 2026, with a $2 million buyout, in a contract signed before Robert played a major-league game.

This should be his last year in Chicago, so perhaps he’ll make it a memorable one. Injuries, ineffectiveness and that hefty salary combined to make Robert virtually untradable last summer, so Getz’s only real move was to pick up the option and hope his would-be star would get better before the next trade deadline.

Even then Getz will likely have to eat some of the contract, as major-league teams often do when they need to change someone’s scenery.

Robert signed his long-term deal a month before the COVID-19 pandemic began in February 2020, and the Sox thought they had a bargain.

“We think the world of Luis and his upside and are willing to invest in that prior to seeing him at the big-league level, just like we did (the previous spring) with Eloy (Jiménez),” then-GM Rick Hahn said that day.

Suffice to say the Sox rolled the dice on both Jiménez and Robert and lost, though Robert still has a chance to prove he was worth the $70 million the Sox have spent on him so far. He’s only 28 and should be in his prime in ’26.

Robert said in a Zoom call with reporters Wednesday that he’s healthy and happy to remain with the Sox. He wants to remain there, hoping he doesn’t get traded if his value picks up.

“I’ve been (through) the ups and downs, and hopefully I can be in the ups that are coming for us,” he said through an interpreter.

When those next “ups” will happen is anyone’s guess, but if it does happen there’s a good chance he won’t be around to enjoy it.

Even a best-case scenario is .500, which would require the Sox filling in the gaps through free agency. No position prospects besides outfielder Braden Montgomery can win a position in spring training, and even that’s a long shot. The only returning position player with a WAR above 1.9 is Colson Montgomery (3.3). Shane Smith’s 2.3 WAR is the best of the returning starters, and only Smith and Davis Martin (1.5 WAR) are virtually assured of rotation spots.

Getz told reporters Monday that free agency is an avenue “we’ll take a look at.”

Well, that’s encouraging. But then came the caveat.

The Sox’s primary goals are to “strengthen our coaching staff, improve our processes in the front office and go out there and try to win as many games as we can” in 2026, Getz said.

“That’s something we can control,” he continued. “Then, in the future years, when we are approaching that ’27 season, we’ll adjust and put together the best club for the future that we can after the ’26 season.”

No Sox fan wants to hear about “processes” improving in the front office or a strengthened coaching staff. It’s time to commit to some players with talent, which means spending some money. No one expects a Kyle Tucker signing, but Kyle Schwarber would bring in some fans.

Why would Getz downplay trying to win in ’26?

Perhaps to let fans know that Justin Ishbia’s future ownership of the team doesn’t mean the Sox are switching into spend mode and will start offering nine-figure contracts, like other major-league teams.

It’s probably going to be bargain-basement signings, of course.

Anyone willing to do a one-year deal, or one-year with an option, can have their agent contact the Sox. Last year’s haul included Michel A. Taylor, Austin Slater, Matt Thaiss, Travis Jankowski, Bryse Wilson, Martin Perez, Mike Tauchman and Josh Rojas. And during the season, Getz traded Andrew Vaughn to the Milwaukee Brewers for 13 starts from Aaron Civale, who posted 5.37 ERA, was waived at the end of August and wound up on the Cubs. Vaughn had an .864 OPS with the Brewers.

Getz hit it big with Rule 5 pitcher Shane Smith but needs to prove it with real free-agent signings.

If this all sounds like another crossroads offseason for a Reinsdorf-owned team, maybe that’s because it is. Many Sox fans have lost faith in the decision-making of the organization, much as they did after the disastrous 1986 season with Ken “Hawk” Harrelson as GM.

“We have lost a tremendous amount of credibility with the fans of Chicago and throughout the sport,” Reinsdorf told the Chicago Tribune in spring training of 1987. “Other clubs in baseball were laughing at us last year. Absolutely laughing at us. We have to regain that credibility, and that doesn’t just happen. We have to earn it.”

Now the Sox have to earn it again, starting with Getz.

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