White Sox Report Cards: Player grades half-way through
The Chicago White Sox are officially halfway through the 2021 season. It has been a grind due to a lot of different things but they made it with a 49-32 record and a 6.0 lead in the American League Central Division. They did all of this with crazy injuries to key players on the team. Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, and Nick Madrigal are all incredibly talented and important players that are just gone for significant stretches of time.
They have also had lesser injuries to key players as well. Studs like Tim Anderson, Lance Lynn, Adam Eaton, Adam Engel, Billy Hamilton, and Michael Kopech have all had stints on the injured list. There have also been little injuries that took a few days to players like Yoan Moncada and Jose Abreu. All in all, it is very rare to see a first-place team go through what the White Sox have gone through and survive.
All Chicago White Sox fans should be happy with the way things have gone in 2021.
There is a long way to go to get to game 162 but they are only going to get healthier as time goes on. They might even make a trade or two to supplement the team and get themselves over the edge. They firmly believe that they are World Series contenders in the American League and they have every reason to believe that.
After one-half of a season, it is fair to give them report cards. Every player that has played a majority of the season is going to get one here. The new prospects that have recently been called up are not going to get graded as the sample size is too small. The players who have been on the injured list since April or earlier will be omitted as well. For all of the players deserving of a grade, you might find them to be pretty fair.
Catchers
The Chicago White Sox have to be happy with the way things are going for their catchers.
Yasmani Grandal – A
Yasmani Grandal gets an A. There are some people that wrongly despise him because of his batting average. Truth be told, the batting average is only one statistic that we have to evaluate hitters in the year 2021. There are plenty of other (better) ways to evaluate players now. Grandal is an elite offensive catcher and his pitch framing is very good. There isn’t anyone the White Sox needs in the middle of their lineup more right now than Grandal.
With some of the offense that is missing from this group right now, Grandal has been able to provide it. He hits a lot of home runs and drives in a lot of runs as well. He is also incredible at finding ways to reach base via the walk. He has an incredible .388 on-base percentage which tells you everything you need to know about his value. He also has a .830 OPS which is among the best on the team. Some people might not like him getting an A but that is what he deserves.
Zack Collins – B
Zack Collins is an interesting player. We didn’t really know what to expect from him going into the season or if he would even be the backup catcher. Luckily for him, he did make it as Grandal’s backup and he has done a nice job. He plays well defensively as he mostly catches Carlos Rodon and Lucas Giolito. His offense has also been picking up lately which is a great sign for him. The B is well deserved but he has room for development.
Yermin Mercedes – A
Even though Yermin Mercedes was the designated hitter, for the most part, he is a catcher by trade. He was just sent down to AAA because of his recent struggles but he is getting an A on the season as a whole. To come in and do what he did with the circumstances he has dealt with in his career is incredibly hard and was incredibly fun to watch. They would not be where they are right now without his special April.
Infield
The Chicago White Sox infield has elite players that can also do a little bit better.
Jose Abreu – C+
A lot of players would love to have the season that Jose Abreu is having. He is an elite RBI machine which is something the White Sox love having in the middle of their starting lineup. The reason Grandal gets a C+ grade is because of the standard he has set for himself. He is the reigning American League MVP and we all know he can be better than what he has been so far this season. Expect a big second half for him.
Nick Madrigal – B
Nick Madrigal is out for the season due to injury. It was a tough blow to the White Sox infield that they are currently trying to fix right now. Of all the injuries they have sustained so far this season, this seems to be the one they are the most eager to fix via trade. The only reason Madrigal isn’t getting an A is that he got hurt. He was on pace to have a magnificent season. Hopefully, the rehab goes well and he makes it back in time for Spring Training with no issues.
Tim Anderson – B
Tim Anderson is one of the team’s leaders. There is no doubt that he is one of the very best shortstops in Major League Baseball right now. His hitting isn’t as hot as we would like it to be which is why he gets the B instead of an A. Like Abreu, you can expect Anderson to have a monster second half of the season.
Yoan Moncada – A
Yoan Moncada, despite a recent slump, has mostly been the team’s best player all season long. He ranks third in all of baseball in on-base percentage. He also plays a supreme defensive third base. He does get hit with small injuries a little bit too much but when he is on the field, he is a game-changer. He doesn’t feel as impactful as the home run hitters but he is the most impactful player on the team right now when he is on his game. He isn’t flashy or anything like that either (on the field) so people might not realize how good he actually is until they look at the numbers.
Outfield
The outfield is what has been hit the hardest for the Chicago White Sox this year.
Andrew Vaughn – A
Not a single soul expected Andrew Vaughn to be on the outfield portion of this list before Spring Training started. He was supposed to compete for the full-time spot as the team’s designated hitter before Eloy Jimenez hurt himself. He was then thrust into left field to be his replacement. He has really started to get hot as a hitter which is his main emphasis as a player but he has also played very well in the outfield. He is going to develop into an elite player in short order.
Billy Hamilton – A
Billy Hamilton gets an A for what he brings to the table. He isn’t the best hitter or anything like that but he excels at what he was brought in to do. That is to be very fast on the base pads and play very good defense. When the White Sox use him in the right spot, he seems to always come through. He has been a big part of the team so far this season.
Adam Eaton – D
One of the only disappointments on this team is Adam Eaton. He was very clutch early in the season but the rest of it hasn’t gone his way. His defense in right-field is fine but some of the younger guys have really stepped up and are far more deserving of playing time lately.
Leury Garcia – B
A lot of people were extremely upset that Leury Garcia was getting playing time early in the season and it was somewhat warranted. However, he has been very good lately and deserves credit for his ability to play every position. He is listed as an outfielder because of the injuries this team has had but he might be an even better infielder. If Leury can stay hot, this team will truly have some nice depth going into the second half.
Jake Lamb – C
Jake Lamb, like a few other players, had a bad reputation when they first came on board. He has struggled offensively at times but he has also had some big hits for this team. He is dealing with a minor injury right now but he should be back in a decent amount of time. This C grade seems very fair for a player like Lamb.
Starting Rotation
The Chicago White Sox have truly had one of the best starting rotations in all of baseball.
Lucas Giolito – B
Lucas Giolito had a C start to his season but has since really started to turn it on. His numbers still aren’t where he wants them but a few really bad starts early in the season have them a little bit inflated. When push comes to shove, he is the ace of the team and has started to rise to that level of play lately. His recent game against the Minnesota Twins was extra special. He dominated them and they have a fantastic lineup. When this kid is on, he is on.
Dallas Keuchel – B
Dallas Keuchel has probably been the worst starting pitcher on the White Sox staff this year and he has still been pretty good. Like Lucas, his ERA is a little bit higher than he wants it but it will come down if he continues to pitch well. It is still under four and is the worst on the team amongst starters. It would be the highest on a lot of teams. The fact that both Keuchel and Gioltio have another level to reach is scary for the rest of the league.
Lance Lynn – A
Saying that Lance Lynn has been the best White Sox starting pitcher doesn’t do him justice. He has been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball and has a legit chance to win the Cy Young Award. He has an attitude that this team needs right now if they want to make a deep run. When he is on the mound, you feel amazing about the White Sox chances.
Dylan Cease – B
Dylan Cease is exactly where you would expect him to be this early in his MLB career. He has an ERA of 3.75 which is slightly better than both Giolito and Keuchel. If this kid is your number four you are in great shape. In fact, he may even be their number five by the time the playoffs roll around. He still walks a few too many hitters but his command is really starting to get better. He might have the best pure stuff on this staff and controlling it is going to make him a superstar. Do not be surprised if he has an A grade by the end of the season. Thanks, Cubs.
Carlos Rodon – A
Going into the season, we didn’t know if Carlos Rodon would be able to even beat out Reynaldo Lopez for the number five spot in the rotation. Not only did he beat him out for that fifth spot, but you can also argue that he should be the playoff game one starter. There is a chance that he is one of the pitchers on the American League All-Star staff. He is right there with Lance Lynn for a chance at a Cy Young. With his no-hitter being his season highlight so far, there is a lot to look forward to with Rodon.
Bullpen Part I
The Chicago White Sox bullpen has been okay but there is still room for improvement.
Liam Hendriks – A
Liam Hendriks has been worth every penny. He is money, especially when he comes into close situations. Things were a little hairy at times early in the season but you knew he was going to figure it out. He isn’t always going to be perfect but he is one of the best in the business. You can bank on him being in the bullpen for the American League All-Stars. When he comes in with the White Sox winning by three runs or less, you can feel confident that the game is over.
Aaron Bummer – C
The perception is that Aaron Bummer isn’t having the best time so far this season. With a 3.26 ERA, it is hard to say that he is having a bad season. However, we know he can do better. With sinker ballers, bad luck is always possible because of the nature of the pitch. No matter what, Bummer’s stuff is always going to be elite and he should come back better than ever when he is healthy. When he is on his game, he is the perfect setup man for Hendriks. Expect big things from him when he comes back from the IL.
Garrett Crochet – A
Garrett Crochet is getting an A. There have been a few hiccups but he has mostly been so awesome. Only a year after being drafted, he is already a big part of the White Sox bullpen. He may be a starter someday but he has handled all of this pressure very well. He has superstar potential with his high velocity and nasty breaking stuff.
Matt Foster – D
Matt Foster is a young reliever that needs innings but things haven’t gone well for him so far this season. His ERA is in the 6’s which is never good. He impressed us all in 2020 and it would be nice to see him get back to that level. Nobody on a first-place by 6.0 games team is getting an F but we know that Foster needs to be better. He has the talent to do it. If he does, this could turn into one of the best bullpens in the league.
Bullpen Part II
There are so many great pitchers in the Chicago White Sox bullpen right now.
Codi Heuer – C
Codi Heuer might not be in the good graces of White Sox fans because of his ERA but there are some things to look at when it comes to him. With some of the other struggling bullpen arms, there is cause for concern. With Heuer, it is clear that he is going to come out of it. His stuff is so nasty but he needs to stop falling behind in counts. When he does that, the other team is able to tee off on “hitter friendly” pitches which is why he has a 1.47 WHIP despite only six walks. The fact that he has 33 strikeouts to those six walks tells you everything you need to know.
Evan Marshall – D
Evan Marshall is one of those pitchers who is supposed to be one of the best on the staff. However, 2021 hasn’t gone well for him and there isn’t any evidence to believe that he is going to come out of it any time soon. He is probably going to have a long-term stint in the IL so it’ll be interesting to see what things look like for him when he returns.
Jose Ruiz – B
Jose Ruiz might have a misconception about him. He has a respectable 3.13 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. He also has 31 strikeouts to only nine walks. He isn’t used in high leverage situations as much as some other guys but he has pitched well when called on. If they continue using him to eat up innings when they are up big, not a single person should complain.
Michael Kopech – A
Michael Kopech is the most talented pitcher in the Chicago White Sox organization right now. He has multiple A+ pitches that he uses and commands very well. He can combine his high-velocity fastball with his breaking stuff which completely throws off hitters. The cool thing about his fastball is the fact that it moves as well which makes it very hard to hit.
As of right now, he has a 1.67 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP. The amazing thing is that he has 45 strikeouts in 32.1 innings to only 12 walks. It is remarkable what he is able to do. The White Sox are eventually going to make him a starter (he has already made a few spot starts) because of how good he is. As of right now, he is the team’s greatest weapon going into the playoffs. The fact that he can still get better should absolutely terrify the rest of the league.
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This has been a brilliant first half for the Chicago White Sox. Players like Brian Goodwin and Danny Mendick deserve credit for their contributions as well but it wouldn’t be very fair to hand them lesser grades based on a few week’s worths of steady playing time. When this team adds guys like Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert to the mix, expect them to be dominant.