The Chicago White Sox are hoping to compete and make some noise once the 2020 regular season begins and one player might have the power to make or break the team.
The Chicago White Sox are definitely excited about the possibility of getting back on the field after an offseason that saw them bring in talents like Yasmani Grandal and Dallas Keuchel.
On top of that, as detailed by Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic, MLB has proposed that the league have three separate divisions in which seven teams make the playoffs in each league this season.
The Chicago White Sox would be in a division with their AL Central counterparts as well as the NL Central teams.
The team’s ability to succeed this season and become the force-to-be-reckoned with fans want to see is dependent on their younger players.
While I’ve highlighted how Eloy Jimenez is vital to this team’s future, I’d argue that Luis Robert is actually the player who will make or break the Chicago White Sox.
The fact of the matter is that the team really didn’t do much to bolster their outfield this offseason, relying on the acquisition of Nomar Mazara to solve their right field problems.
Robert’s presence made the decision to reserve the center field spot for him in 2020 pretty easy, as evidenced by their decision to give him an extension.
If they want to truly make noise this season and not simply make the playoffs in the easiest format possibly ever created, then Robert needs to break out in a big way for this team.
A mediocre showing in the outfield for him this season wouldn’t necessarily hurt the team, but it simply wouldn’t be enough for the Chicago White Sox to vault into the next tier.
Right now, the organization is coming off a season in which they won 72 games.
The additions of Grandal and others will certainly help this team become stronger, but can they really be expected to vault the team from below-average to World Series contenders?
No, and that shouldn’t really fall on Robert’s shoulders either.
Nonetheless, it sort of has as he’s the player with the highest ceiling of any on the team, possibly with the potential to become a player of Ronald Acuna Jr.‘s caliber in the future.
If he can somehow flash that elite talent this season, the league will be put on notice. Robert’s five-tool skill set is rare and one that could potentially carry a franchise.
However, in his rookie season, his ability to produce is the most in question for the Chicago White Sox.
The pressure can’t be put completely on him, but Luis Robert is the player that could take the Chicago White Sox from slightly above-average to elite in a hurry.