White Sox: 5 Bold Predictions for 2019 Season
With no expectations for the White Sox to reach the postseason, here are some bold predictions for the upcoming season that could be very surprising.
Much like the past few seasons, there aren’t any high expectations for the White Sox to have a winning record in 2019. Entering the third full season of their current rebuild, the expectations for this season will be similar to the previous two years and that’s developing young talent.
Whether it’s at the minor league or major league level, the White Sox will need to continue to do a good job of developing their younger players. Last season, there were a few positive developments in the minors and at the major league level for the Sox.
Some prospects made their much anticipated major league debuts to a lot of fanfare, while others got a little bit closer to realizing their MLB dream with some good seasons in the minors. While 2019 could be another losing season on the south side for the Sox, there could still be some good storylines for fans to follow throughout the year.
The Sox front office didn’t sign any premier free agents this past offseason but they did improve the team in other areas such as the bullpen. There was a promotion for a prospect that Sox fans have been waiting to see since he was acquired in a trade in the Summer of 2017 along with some good progression for players during Spring Training.
With the start of the regular season upon us, it’s time to look at some bold predictions for the upcoming season. Some or all of these predictions could be wrong or they could be right. We won’t know until the end of this season. If some of these predictions come close to being accurate, expect a very exciting 2019 for your Sox.
Yoan Moncada Joins 20/20 Club
Yoan Moncada was the object of many Sox fans scorn last season. The once top-ranked prospect in MLB didn’t fare too well in his first full major league season. Moncada was originally acquired as part of a trade from the Boston Red Sox that included Michael Kopech and Luis Alexander Basabe in exchange for Chris Sale.
While Moncada struggled mightily last season, many Sox fans began to already declare that the White Sox lost their trade with the Red Sox. Moncada finished 2018 with a .235/.315/.400 slash line with 17 home runs, 61 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. However, he also had a team-leading 217 strikeouts at the plate and nearly set the single-season strikeout record.
Entering this season, Moncada has moved over to third base and the transition went smoothly throughout Spring Training. This Spring, Moncada had a slash line of .358/.469/.642 with a 1.110 OPS through 53 at-bats for the Sox. He did however still struggle with strikeouts as he had 16 but he does have the potential to have a quality season in 2019.
The bold prediction for Moncada is that he hits more than 20 home runs and steals more than 20 bases. He’s never had more than 12 stolen bases in a single major league season but the potential is there and he came close to hitting 20 home runs last season. Many people might not think this is much of a bold prediction, but for a player that struggled a lot last season, Moncada becoming another 20/20 player for the Sox this season would be a big step forward for the young infielder.
Tim Anderson Will Have Breakout Season
In 2018, Tim Anderson had perhaps his greatest season of development defensively with the Sox. After committing a league-high in errors during the 2017 season, Anderson cut down his mistakes at shortstop and even finished the 2018 season as a member of the 20/20 club. He finished with a career-high 20 home runs and 26 stolen bases.
Going into this season, Anderson has already come up with the slogan of the year for the Sox and could take another big step forward in 2019. Anderson might never walk a lot but he could become better at decreasing his strikeouts as he did last season when compared to his 2017 season.
Anderson could be even better this season than he was in 2018. He might have finished 2018 with career-lows in batting average at .240 and slugging percentage at .406, but the progress he made defensively turned him into a much more valuable player for the Sox. If he’s able to hit breaking balls with more authority than he has in the past (subscription required), expect 2019 to be a breakout year for the 2013 first-round draft pick.
In fact, another bold prediction is 2019 will indeed be a breakout season for Anderson. He has the tools to be an above-average player for the Sox and was third on the team last season with a 2.5 WAR. With three major league seasons under his belt, 2019 will be the year that Anderson becomes a major contributor for the Sox.
Eloy Jimenez Will Receive MVP Votes
The wait is finally over for Sox fans. Eloy Jimenez will make his major league debut on Opening Day against the Kansas City Royals. After signing a contract extension that could keep him with the Sox through 2026, Jimenez is ready to make his mark on the south side.
What can Sox fans expect from Jimenez this season? Well, that’s a hard question to answer because he hasn’t had a major league at-bat yet. However, the Sox front office feels as though he could become a superstar player as they offered him a record extension for a player with no MLB service time just this past weekend.
Could Jimenez win the American League Rookie of the Year Award? It’s a strong possibility. Especially if he gets off to a very good start and is able to make adjustments to how pitchers adjust to him after a few months in the Majors. What about getting some AL MVP votes? Now, that’s a stretch but isn’t entirely impossible.
The bold prediction for Jimenez in 2019 is that he does receive some MVP votes after this season. Not predicting he will finish second or third in MVP voting, but that he will get some votes for the award. Jimenez could be the spark plug this franchise needs for its current rebuild and if he’s able to get some MVP votes after this season, it will mean he had a great year for the Sox.
Reynaldo Lopez Will Emerge As Ace
Last season, Reynaldo Lopez was the best player on the Sox. He led the team with a 3.1 WAR and 3.91 ERA as a starter. He pitched a career-high 188.2 innings along with compiling a 7-10 record through 32 starts and recording 151 strikeouts and a 1.272 WHIP. This all came as he pitched his first full season in MLB.
This season, Lopez won’t be starting on Opening Day as that honor will go to Carlos Rodon. However, Lopez has the chance to emerge as the ace of the Sox starting rotation this year. Rodon has had multiple opportunities to live up to the potential the Sox saw in him when they drafted him with the third overall pick in the 2014 draft.
Unfortunately, Rodon hasn’t had a completely injury-free season since 2016 and also hasn’t been consistent enough recently for many to have much faith that he will become an ace with the Sox. Lopez, on the other hand, could very well emerge as the ace of the Sox for 2019.
The bold prediction for Lopez is he carries over his good 2018 season into 2019 and becomes the next ace of the Sox pitching staff. He’s shown he can be durable as a starter for the Sox and entering his second full season in MLB, Lopez can only get better. Expect 2019 to be a big season for the 25-year-old starting pitcher.
Jose Abreu Won’t Get Contract Extension
Many Sox fans would welcome the franchise signing Jose Abreu to a contract extension. He’s been a consistent offensive threat since his rookie season in 2014. He became just the third MLB player to begin his career with 25 or more home runs and 100 or more RBIs in each of his first four seasons.
He’s also been a great mentor for the younger Latin players in the Sox clubhouse over the past few years. Abreu absolutely deserves a new contract with the Sox. A contract that would allow him to retire with the team and possibly be a part of the next contender on the south side.
Unfortunately, MLB is a business and the Sox have yet to offer Abreu a contract extension. It could very well lead to the franchise allowing him to leave via free agency after the end of this season. With first baseman Paul Goldschmidt signing an extension after being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, Abreu could be in high demand as a free agent if he has a good year with the Sox.
dark. Next. Fantasy Baseball and your White Sox Position Players
As each day passes by without a contract extension from the Sox to Abreu, it appears more likely that 2019 will be his final season with the franchise. The bold prediction for Abreu is that he enters free agency after the end of this season. This is a prediction I would like to be wrong about but the Sox front office doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence in me that they will do what’s right and ensure Abreu receives a much-deserved contract extension.