White Sox Report Cards: Player grades half-way through

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.