White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf was seen walking out of Nashville mayor Freddie O’Connell’s office on Tuesday, according to a report from Politico.
The team confirmed Reinsdorf’s meeting with O’Connell with reporters covering the team, including MLB.com’s Scott Merkin and the Chicago Sun-Times’s Daryl Van Schowen.
Reinsdorf is in Nashville for baseball’s annual winter meetings. However, reports circulated in August that the White Sox were considering leaving Guaranteed Rate Field when the team’s lease with the ballpark ends after the 2028 season.
While the team is exploring options to stay in Chicago, moving the franchise to Nashville is also reportedly being considered.
Music City Baseball is the group attempting to bring a Major League Baseball franchise to Nashville, either through relocation or expansion. (Phillies executive Dave Dombrowski was previously a consultant with the group.) Hosting the winter meetings, with executives and decision-makers throughout the sport in town, would appear to be an ideal opportunity to explore the viability of Nashville getting a team. The four-day event also allows the city to present itself as a viable destination.
Merkin reported that the White Sox weren’t disclosing what Reinsdorf and O’Connell discussed, but connecting dots seems rather reasonable.
Perhaps Reinsdorf wanted to see what Nashville had to offer, and the mayor may have made an initial pitch. Crain’s Chicago Business also reported in August that Reinsdorf, 87, might be considering selling his ownership stake in the team. How much could he cash in from a move?
