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THE WHITE SOX were one of just four teams
that failed to make the playoffs in the 2010s.
GM Rick Hahn spent the winter working to
end that streak. He signed catcher Yasmani
Grandal, lefty starter Dallas Keuchel and
DH Edwin Encarnación to contracts totaling
$140 million, all in an effort to do what the
Twins did last year: steal the AL Central from
the sleeping Indians.
The additions fill out a homegrown
base that features three of 2019’s biggest
breakouts in shortstop Tim Anderson
(who hit an AL-best .335), third baseman
Yoán Moncada (.315/.367/.548) and righty
Lucas Giolito (3.41 ERA, 228 strikeouts).
Coming up behind those three this year are
outfielders Eloy Jiménez and Luis Robert,top-five prospects in successive seasons.
Righty Michael Kopech, the game’s best
pitching prospect two years ago, should be
back from Tommy John surgery later in the
year. A rebuilding project that began with
the trades of Chris Sale and Adam Eaton in
’16 is on the cusp of producing a contender.
Even with all that money spent, there are
no guarantees here. Those great ’19 seasons
were built in part on good fortune on batted
balls: Moncada had a BABIP of .406, the
highest mark since 1977; Anderson wasn’t
far behind at .399. Giolito has still never
thrown 180 innings in the majors. AddingKeuchel helps; the team really needs a true
No. 1, though. This lineup could be short on
OBP, and it won’t be a good defensive team
in any alignment.
Yet no AL team outside New York and
Houston has Chicago’s ceiling. Grandal
balances the lineup, helps with OBP and
provides the young pitchers an excellent
framer. If the rotation can hold its own,
allowing the offense and a sneaky-good pen to
do their jobs, the White Sox can be this year’s
Twins. One thing is certain: They won’t go the
whole ’20s without making the postseason.Believe the hype—the White Sox have surrounded their emerging stars with all the right
veterans. Even if their playoff drought lasts another year, it’s bound to end soon.OVER
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gfn\ik_\Jfokfdlck`gc\[`m`j`fek`kc\j`ek_\Óijk_Xc]f]k_\Ê)'j%2030 PREDICTION
119 OPS+ | 2.4 WAR
The first
baseman had
a career-high
strikeout rate
in ’19 (21.9%).
Though Abreu,
now 33, still
hit 33 homers,
Father Time
may be
closing in.WHITE SOX
AL TIELEMANSEven with all that money spent,
there are no guarantees here. But
no AL team outside New York and
Houston has Chicago’s ceiling.