Chicago White Sox: Three crucial role players for 2020
The Chicago White Sox have a very sound starting lineup for the 2020 season, but there are three bench players that might make a bigger impact than originally anticipated in 2020.
The Chicago White Sox went into this season excited about their 2020 prospects, as did most of the other teams around MLB.
As reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN recently, the league is discussing a plan to return to action by as early as next month that would include doubleheaders to hopefully get the league to 120 games or so before the end of the season.
Those doubleheaders are going to make a major difference in how teams choose to operate throughout the season and, potentially, could even change the sizes of rosters.
Recently, I highlighted how such a plan could put limitations on certain players for the Chicago White Sox this season.
With newfound limitations for those players, though, could come newfound opportunities for others to shine.
While it could make things a lot trickier for the South Side this season, it could also prove to be the test needed for this organization to prove to themselves that they are truthfully ready for contention.
If they don’t show that they have enough depth to compete in 2020, then going back to the drawing board this offseason might be needed to get the correct mix of players.
Here are three players the Chicago White Sox will have to rely on this season.
1. James McCann
It’s pretty funny how a player that a team views as possibly expendable during the offseason can become quite important by the time the season starts.
James McCann is the perfect example of that in 2020, as he saw himself replaced by Yasmani Grandal as the team’s starting catcher this past offseason.
While that role won’t change for him, McCann could very well find himself starting more games than most would have expected from him this season.
The 29-year-old was expected to transition to a true backup catcher role this season, but the decision to add in scheduled doubleheaders could give him more playing time than originally anticipated.
Grandal won’t be able to get through a grueling 2020 season if he’s expected to catch both ends of a doubleheader on a regular basis.
That makes McCann’s ability to perform ever more crucial for the Chicago White Sox.
In the first half of the 2019 season, McCann found himself on the American League All-Star team, but a rough second half saw him finish with a still-solid 109 OPS+. However, there were some statistics that I highlighted that could pose an issue for him long-term.
In what is going to be his last season under contract with the Chicago White Sox, McCann needs to perform when Grandal isn’t able to be behind the dish.
Otherwise, the team might have to turn to either Zack Collins, Yermin Mercedes, or Seby Zavala.
Those aren’t necessarily awful solutions, but the team probably would prefer that McCann returns to last season’s first-half form in 2020.
2. Leury Garcia
Leury Garcia is the only player on this list that was expected to have a pretty noteworthy role to begin with as a jack-of-all-trades player.
Garcia, 29, is set to start the season as the Chicago White Sox’s second baseman, with Nick Madrigal beginning the year in Triple-A Charlotte.
The Chicago White Sox are going to need him to do more than just “hold down the fort” at the keystone with a condensed schedule, though.
In all likelihood, the organization is going to need him to move around the diamond on a consistent basis to spot players that need rest.
Now, the fact that most of their players are young works in their favor since they are less likely to get injured by playing a lot and probably won’t get tired from over-usage early on.
However, younger players also have to adjust to playing an entire MLB season, and a condensed schedule certainly could lead to fatigue during August and September.
Garcia, in turn, is either going to be crucial in giving younger players like Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez rest in those months, or spotting them on a more regular basis throughout the year.
His ability to move all over the diamond is very valuable for the organization and his role is going to extend far beyond being a temporary solution at second base in 2020.
3. Adam Engel
Adam Engel is going to essentially have the role of Garcia for all three outfield spots to start the season while the latter will be patrolling second base.
Engel, 28, really needs to be one of the better fourth outfielders in the game in 2020, as there are going to plenty of opportunities for him to play if he performs.
As previously mentioned, Robert and Jimenez could very well need rest throughout the year which Engel could give them, with ease.
Also, Nomar Mazara really should have been paired with a platoon partner in free agency or by way of a trade this offseason. Since that never happened, Engel could prove to become that for Mazara in 2020.
The right-handed hitter had an impressive spring in which he had a .860 OPS, two home runs, and 11 RBI 35 plate appearances.
If he can carry that success into the regular season, Engel will have no problem earning regular playing time this season and could actually find himself in the lineup with regularity.
However, if he’s unable to do so, the team will need to have Garcia play the outfield more often than they might hope which could lead to the team either calling up Madrigal before he is ready or playing Danny Mendick at second base.
While neither of those scenarios is really that bad, the issue becomes if something unanticipated comes up.
Every team is almost guaranteed to have to deal with injuries throughout the season and the organization would probably prefer to turn to those other two options when that happens rather than because Engel simply can’t handle the job as the team’s fourth outfielder.
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A condensed schedule is going to make these players crucial to the success of the Chicago White Sox in 2020.