On paper, the Chicago White Sox are among the best teams in the American League, if not the entire MLB. The rotation is stacked with multiple Cy Young candidates and the lineup is a merciless carousel of MVPs. The team that stands out is the team with the lesser-known players who step up throughout the year and make an impact.
The Chicago White Sox could see some lesser-known players step up big in 2021.
These players are important for two reasons. They keep the team’s flow going by standing in for potential fatigued or injured starters. Any positive momentum needs to keep going regardless of if the lineup takes a hit or two.
The second reason is these depth players are useful in situational baseball and give an edge in an evenly matched series. For example, a southpaw needed against three left-handed hitters or a defensive replacement late in a game. These players come into the game and are expected to make an impact directly so trust in execution is important.
A big concern about the 2021 White Sox is the lack of depth in both the pitching and hitting departments. If any of the three aces were to go down, the rotation would struggle. If more than two position players are down for a significant amount of time, things would look pretty bleak.
Despite not being the faces’ of the franchise, the White Sox do have depth players who have special skills helpful in giving an edge, can provide an impact, and have the potential to become another Cy Young or MVP candidate on this already stacked team. These are four potential depth players who can make an impact on the 2021 season: