The Chicago White Sox are going to have a very good bullpen. A lot of people are (and rightfully so) excited for the new closer, Liam Hendriks. He has been the best closer in all of baseball for two years now and shows no sign of slowing down. Well, in order to get to Hendriks with a lead, you need the pitching that comes before him to shut the opposition down as well. We know the runs are going to be there so keeping the opponent from crossing the plate is so important.
Aaron Bummer is going to have a great season for the Chicago White Sox.
One of the biggest keys in getting to Hendriks with a lead is Aaron Bummer. He is by far the second-best reliever on this team right now and should be for a while. He is the type of pitcher who can pretty much give you whatever type of outing you need. He is probably best suited to be a setup man for the closer. That is exactly what it sounds like will happen this year.
Bummer had some injury trouble in 2020 but when he was out there he was filthy. In 9.1 innings (over nine appearances), he had an ERA of 0.96 and a WHIP of 1.071 with 14 strikeouts. It is a small sample size but those numbers are brilliant for that little time. In 2019, a much larger sample size, he had an ERA of 2.13 with a WHIP of 0.990 and 60 strikeouts. It was truly a breakout year for him which helped him reach the status he has now.
If the White Sox are going to do a lot of winning in 2021 like we think they will, Aaron Bummer is going to be a big part of it. He has the attitude needed to help the teammates around him get to his competitive level. At this point, he has to be considered one of the most important players on the entire roster.
2021 Expectations:
For one, expect Aaron Bummer to be a late-inning reliever. He might have a few appearances as a closer but for the most part, he will be setting up Hendriks. If the White Sox are losing (especially by more than a run), don’t expect to see Aaron Bummer in that game. He is best suited for games that the White Sox are winning and need late-inning shut down baseball.
When the team is this good, you can afford to save your best relievers for situations like that. As far as his stats, he should have an ERA under three and a very good WHIP with lots of strikeouts. If all goes according to plan, he will be the second-best pitcher on an elite bullpen staff.