Chicago White Sox: Multiple options at second base for 2022

Now that the season is over, it’s time to start looking at the future and what adjustments the Chicago White Sox will need to make in order to get back to the playoffs in 2022. One position that needs to be addressed is second base where Cesar Hernandez and Leury Garcia split time.  Both are free agents, although there is a club option on Hernandez for 2022.

Hernandez was the American League Gold Glove second baseman in 2020 with Cleveland and his defensive stability was something the White Sox were banking on after Nick Madrigal was injured then dealt to the Cubs.

Hernandez performed well in the field but his bat seemed to go missing in action.  After hitting 18 homers for the Indians earlier this season, Hernandez managed only three after joining the White Sox while finishing with a .232 batting average in 53 games to go along with 45 strikeouts in 194 at-bats.

Garcia was a virtual “Mr. Everything” for the Sox, starting 58 games in the outfield, 33 at second base, 18 at shortstop, and 8 at third base. He started all four games in the playoffs against Houston either at second or in right field. Garcia had a decent year at the plate hitting .267 with five homers and 54 RBI.

The Chicago White Sox needs to find a new second baseman for the 2022 season.

What makes this a position of need is Hernandez did not provide the offensive boost the Sox hoped he might bring and Garcia’s versatility provided the team with depth at several positions but not enough to be an everyday player at one spot.

General Manager Rick Hahn has several options he can go with to fill this position. He could opt to bring both players back, make a trade, or turn to the free-agent market where he might be able to hit pay dirt.

There are some good options available on the market and only time will tell if Hahn pulls the trigger on bringing one of them in. Out of the number of free agents to consider, here are a few of the players who could provide what the White Sox need to upgrade the position:

Marcus Semien would be a great addition to his old team in the Chicago White Sox.

What’s old could be new again, as former White Sox shortstop Marcus Semien has grown into one of the best players in the American League over the last few years while playing in Oakland and Toronto.

He has made a smooth transition to second base this season with the Blue Jays where he played 147 games at the position and was named to the All-Star team. He posted a .985 fielding percentage and was eighth in the American League in Defensive WAR. After moving over to the right side of the infield, Semien finished third in putouts (202), fourth in assists (317) and second in double plays turned (86).

Semien was fifth in errors at second with eight but he was also fifth in the league in fielding percentage. His defense is far from being a liability and his teaming with Tim Anderson could make for a strong presence in the middle of the infield and at the plate.

Speaking of offense, Semien would be a great addition to the lineup, providing both power with an ability to get on base. He was fourth in the league in homers with 45 while also being fourth in doubles and runs scored. He finished second to teammate Vladamir Guerrero in total bases and finished fifth in hits at 173. His 86 extra-base hits were tops in the AL and he was tied for third in times on base at 242.

Maybe Semien’s greatest ability is his availability as he played in all 162 games this season which would come as welcome news to the White Sox who saw their fair share of players spend time on the injured list. That is an impressive resume and if Hahn wants to go the free-agent route, Semien should be atop his wish list.

The Chicago White Sox might finally land Eduardo Escobar ahead of the 2022 season.

Following Nick Madrigal’s departure, the rumor mill heated up about who would fill the void at second base. The Pirates’ Adam Frazier was a name brought up but much of the talk seemed to center around Arizona’s Eduardo Escobar. So much so that at one point it looked as though he was on his way to the southside.

However, all of that became moot when Frazier went to San Diego and Escobar went north to Milwaukee. But, Escobar’s stay in Milwaukee could be short-lived as the free agent is bound to have a number of clubs knocking on his door.

Between the Diamondbacks and Brewers, Escobar belted 28 homers with 90 RBI. His contribution to the Brew crew was six homers and a .268 batting average with an OPS of .800. Escobar played 42 games at second base this season and was more than serviceable at the position.

He made just one error in 124 chances while turning 15 double plays. He does add some depth at third where he played in 99 games and could also fill in at first where he made 18 appearances.  With most of his time spent at the hot corner, he committed 11 miscues in 203 chances.

Entering his 12th year, Escobar has a career WAR of 12 with a slash line of .256/.309/.436. From 2014 to 2017, Escobar’s high watermark of games played was 133. However, since 2018, he played in 151, 158, 54 (2020 shortened season), and 146 games.

If signed, this would not be Escobar’s first time wearing a White Sox uniform. The 32 year old (turns 33 in January) began his career with the White Sox in 2011 and spent part of 2012 with the team before heading to Minnesota. He played in 45 games with the Sox and had 20 hits in 87 at-bats.

The Chicago White Sox could choose from some players that are shortstops first.

One other idea to consider is the pursuit of free agent shortstops who could take over at second base. There are some big names who will be available but will the White Sox be willing to go that route? Interesting to note that while most of the second base free agents are 30 or older, the list of players at short primarily is under that age.

Javier Baez may or may not be back with the New York Mets but a few things to think about are whether or not the price tag will be too high, will he want to come back to Chicago, and can you live with the highs and lows he provides in the field and at the plate?

When Baez is on his game he is as entertaining and productive a player as there is. But, when he is off, he can be way off and is there any way to keep him from swinging at 50 foot breaking balls? He primarily played second with the Mets this year while Francisco Lindor took short and spent some time there with the Cubs as well.

Carlos Correa may be the top name on this list as his 7.2 WAR leads all free agents at the position. Correa broke Sox fans’ hearts with his performance in the American League Divisional Series and could possibly break the bank based on what he may be asking for in a new contract.

However, at 27 years of age, he could be around for a while, and having come off a year in which he hit 26 homers and hit .279, he would be a solid addition to the Sox offense. If Jerry Reinsdorf was willing to sign Dennis Rodman to the Bulls years ago, perhaps he might be willing to add Correa.

The Dodgers’ Corey Seager could be an interesting addition should the Sox sign him. The reigning World Series MVP still had some issues with a fractured hand that caused him to miss over 60 games this year but when he returned he played excellent baseball.

Seager hit .382 in the last 31 games with a 1.1902 OPS. Of his 16 homers this year, 10 of them came during that 31 game stretch. At 27 years of age, he still has plenty of good baseball left in him.

At 28 years old, Trevor Story is looking to get paid as well and it doesn’t look as though that will be happening with the Rockies. Story was subject of rumors during the season that the White Sox might be making a play for him but nothing materialized and Story stayed in Denver.

His 24 homers and 75 RBI’s were some of the lowest totals he has posted in those categories during his career (excluding last season). However, he was tops in the National League in double plays turned and total zone runs as a shortstop.