Chicago White Sox: 3 biggest needs before the trade deadline

Third Biggest Need: Health

The Chicago White Sox are in a great spot as they try to get healthy before October.

Critical blow after critical blow, it seems this team can’t take anymore gut punches. The tables, however, are slowly starting to turn.

The best news this White Sox team could have gotten came yesterday. Eloy Jimenez is back and will be DHing against the Royals tonight. His bat has been a difficult void to fill but Andrew Vaughn held it down. The first-place White Sox are adding a silver slugger to their lineup and more could be following.

About a month ago, Luis Robert was cleared for baseball activities and started his rehab games last week. He could potentially return to the southside within the next few weeks as well. Adding both Robert and Jimenez back into this lineup eases the pressure on the depth players who have been keeping this team afloat all season. Billy Hamilton and Brian Goodwin have gone above and beyond so far this season but soon they will be able to relax a bit.

It is possible Yasmani Grandal could return for a playoff push but it could be difficult for a catcher recovering from knee surgery. Evan Marshall is also currently on the 10-day injured list. Perhaps after returning from his elbow injury, Marshall can recreate some of that 2.04 ERA 1.05 WHIP he recorded in 2020.

Unfortunately, this team won’t be 100% until at least 2022 when Madrigal returns. With a couple of moves, health, and a lot of luck, the White Sox have enough to call themselves World Series contenders.