Chicago White Sox: Three pitching additions for 2020
The Chicago White Sox are going to be getting some pitchers back for the 2020 season that they might have not had to start if the season began on time.
The Chicago White Sox are back. Major League Baseball has put together a 60 game season that will start on July 24th and have Spring Training begin on July 1st. That is great news for us White Sox fans because 2020 is the year that things start to look up for this organization that has been down for so long. It has been tough waiting this long but we are almost there.
There are absolutely no positives that came from the COVID-19 pandemic. Things have been very difficult for all American people during these times but baseball has a chance to heal some wounds. With that said, a different kind of healing has taken place already that might not have been as smooth if there was a 162 game season.
The White Sox does a relatively good job keeping their pitchers healthy as an organization but for some reason, the end of 2018 and into 2019 had a string of bad luck for some of Chicago’s pitchers. “Tommy John was our best pitcher” was a joke about the team last year as there were a few different guys who needed to get through that very difficult surgery.
Well, a lot of time has passed now and the White Sox should have all of its arms ready to go following the delay of the season. The White Sox needs all hands on deck this year to win games so hopefully, they are all full strength more often than not this year. These are the three pitchers that the White Sox believe they will have back from their injuries to add to the mix in 2020:
Chicago White Sox. Michael Kopech. 34. player. 128. . SP
Michael Kopech was missing for the entire 2019 season and it was not fun for him. His personal struggles are known during that time but he is fine and ready to go according to him. The White Sox are going to be adding him to the mix after he made a few appearances as a starter in 2018. He was electric in his short 2018 stint and he had Guaranteed Rate Field so excited in his MLB Debut.
We are all expecting big things from Kopech. His pitches are very impressive, especially his fastball that has incredible movement on it. He came to the White Sox with Yoan Moncada for Chris Sale back in late 2016 so it is clear that this kid has had the eye of the organization for a long time. He won’t be getting any AAA starts this year so up in the Majors will likely be his case.
He is going to be a starter but the question that remains is how much he will be used and how much of an impact will he have? It is important for Kopech to come out of this 60 game schedule feeling good about himself. 2021 at this point, is the more realistic expectation for this team to be World Series good but you never know. Kopech’s impact is supposed to be a big part of it so adding him back this year should be fun to watch.
Chicago White Sox. Dane Dunning. 78. player. 128. . SP
The Chicago White Sox are hoping that a lot of their top prospects make it and become impact players at the Major League level. It is a loaded farm system with a lot of great players but the hitters are more readily available than the pitchers. One pitcher that the White Sox are hoping helps them turn that around is Dane Dunning. He is a young pitching prospect for the White Sox that had the misfortune of needing Tommy John surgery in 2019.
He wasn’t able to do any progressing through the White Sox system last year but this could be a year where he comes in and makes an impact. No matter how he plays, he should be an upgrade over some of the other players that have pitched for the Sox over the past few seasons.
Dunning came to the White Sox from the Washington Nationals with Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez in the Adam Eaton trade. They are looking for him to be a guy in the back end of the rotation or perhaps even the bullpen. If his play deems him ready for the Major Leagues this year, he will be a welcome addition to this team.
. SP. Chicago White Sox. Carlos Rodon. 55. player. 128
Carlos Rodon is one of the most mysterious cases in the history of Chicago White Sox pitching. He has had games where he looked brilliant and there have been some lousy performances coupled in with a slew of injuries. He was the third overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft so expectations were high but we have blinked and he is already 27 years old. It has been a crazy ride for him but he has one more little year to show he can be healthy and impactful.
He didn’t play much last season as he had the Tommy John surgery earlier in the season. It was a tough blow for the White Sox but they got through it. He wouldn’t have started the season this year with the team if it was a normal year but with it starting late he is going to be able to be there on time. He is going to be a nice addition to this staff, even if he doesn’t necessarily reach his full potential ever. He doesn’t need to be a superstar or anything anymore but a good solid 3 or 4 pitcher would be lovely.
Hot. It is finally time to watch the White Sox play baseball again. light
The White Sox have had all of these arms in the organization for a while now but none of them have made the impact on the team to their full potential yet. All of them could be significant upgrades over what we have had on the South Side lately and a guy like Kopech could be a significant part of their core for a long time. These additions to the staff should be fun to watch in 2020.