Chicago White Sox: 3 biggest needs before the trade deadline

First Biggest Need: Bullpen Help

The Chicago White Sox would benefit greatly by adding some help in the bullpen.

In a perfect world, every game would see the White Sox starter take it seven or eight innings, then Liam Hendricks shuts the door in the ninth. This is not a perfect world, unfortunately.

The 2020 bullpen was dominant. Codi Heuer, Evan Marshall, and Matt Foster made names for themselves. Ross Detwiler and Jace Fry held their own also with sub-3.70 ERAs. This season is a different story.

This bullpen is not atrocious. Those players mentioned above are doing okay but okay pitching doesn’t win championships. Aside from Hendricks, Michael Kopech, and Garrett Crochet, there has not been a consistent, dependable arm all season. Jose Ruiz is pitching well with a 2.97 ERA in 39 innings of work. However, control has been an issue with him in the past and I am not entirely sold on Ruiz quite yet. Another bullpen arm would be comforting.

A very good reliever in the trade market has been Pirates closer, Richard Rodriguez. In 38.1 innings of work so far this year, Rodriguez has 33 strikeouts with a 0.84 WHIP and has allowed only two home runs and five walks. That kind of pinpoint-controlled pitching would benefit the White Sox.

Cole Sulser, RHP for Baltimore, is having a fantastic season. He has a high h/9 at 7.2 but has a 2.97 ERA in 36 innings. His 12.1 SO/9 means he can get out of innings. At age 31, Sulser could potentially be on the move at this deadline.

The selling Twins have Taylor Rogers in the bullpen and he has been having a phenomenal season as well. It is unlikely the Twins would be willing to trade their best reliever to their division rival but stranger things have happened.