Chicago White Sox: 3 most important things to do during the offseason
The Chicago White Sox had a very good year in 2021. There are going to be people who only remember the playoffs but that isn’t the best way to look at it. This is a young team that has a long way to go before they are champions. They are still developing and have a long way to go. 2021 was a great start.
One of the best things a franchise can do is learn from issues that they currently have. The White Sox don’t have any pressing issues that will make them a bad team in 2022 but they have some things to address if they want to go from division champions to league champions.
It all starts with the front office and management. Rick Hahn, Kenny Williams, and Tony La Russa need to identify the things that they need before the offseason begins so that they can go for them when the time is right. They have done some significant things to improve themselves over the last few years and it isn’t going to stop now.
The White Sox are in a better place than most teams. They have a core of players that consists of youngsters like Tim Anderson, Yoan Moncada, Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, Lucas Giolito, and Dylan Cease amongst others. Now, it is about implementing all of those guys with enough help to take that next step.
The Chicago White Sox is going to make some big adjustments prior to 2022.
Some of that help can come in a few different ways. There is personnel and there is decision-making on certain philosophies. These are the three things that the White Sox need to have done during the upcoming offseason:
The Chicago White Sox needs to address the second base position during the offseason.
The Chicago White Sox has some big-time question marks at the second base position. With Yoan Moncada at third base, Tim Anderson at shortstop, and Jose Abreu at first base, that is the final piece to complete the infield puzzle needed. They looked to be set there for a long time but the 2021 season forced some unexpected moves.
Nick Madrigal was supposed to be the guy before going out for the season with an injury. Later in the year, the White Sox traded Madrigal to the Chicago Cubs in the Craig Kimbrel deal. They brought in Cesar Hernandez after a trade with the Cleveland Indians. Neither trade worked out all that well for the White Sox so second base is now an area of need again.
They likely won’t pick up Hernandez’s option for 2022 which leaves room for a big-time free agent. A lot of people want Marcus Semien which makes perfect sense. He is a former Chicago White Sox player and would make a great fit. There are also other options out there and you should expect Rick Hahn to explore all of them. It is going to be interesting to see what the final result is for 2022 at second base but it could make a major difference.
The Chicago White Sox could try to move some relievers into starter roles.
The Chicago White Sox has some outstanding pitchers on their staff. It started and ended with its rotation in 2021. It consisted of Lucas Giolito, Dallas Keuchel, Lance Lynn, Dylan Cease, and Carlos Rodon. There were a few pitchers who came in and made spot starts but that was the rotation for most of the season. There is also a really good bullpen there that has the potential to be even better.
Craig Kimbrel likely won’t be back but you can bet on seeing Reynaldo Lopez, Michael Kopech, Garrett Crochet, Liam Hendriks, and Aaron Bummer back for more in 2022. However, not all of them may be relievers by that point. The White Sox are going to try and add more pitching during the offseason but there is something they could do with this group.
Kopech, Crochet, and Lopez are all starters by trade. A move to a starter role could be on the horizon for two or more of them. We don’t know if Carlos Rodon will be back in 2022 as he is a pending free agent and Dallas Keuchel might not be used as a starter if he continues his downward spiral.
We have seen Michael Kopech make a few spot-starts in 2021 and he was exclusively a starter before having Tommy John surgery. He is the most talented pitcher that they have so it would be nice to see them get the most out of him. By next year, expect him to get consideration for this role.
Crochet is also someone who can make that move to a starter role as he continues in his development. Reynaldo Lopez is someone who has shown the ability to pitch in any role so expect him to get looks as a starter and reliever in 2022 as well. Regardless of what happens, the White Sox need their pitching to stay dominant.
The Chicago White Sox needs to get right field figured out by the 2022 season.
The Chicago White Sox has the potential to have one of the best offensive outfields in all of Major League Baseball. Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert are both elite hitters that haven’t even scratched the surface of their offensive potential. Luis Robert is also elite defensively while Jimenez is still working on that aspect of his game.
That is why finding someone for right field that is also good at both offense and defense would be really nice. Adam Engel might be able to be that guy but he has had a really hard time staying healthy over the last year or so.
When he first came up he was awesome defensively and one of the worst hitters in franchise history. Now, he has really turned into an awesome everyday hitter that can also defend at an elite level. He will certainly be in contention for the starting job during the offseason.
The White Sox still might go for someone else during the offseason as well to play with Engel. It is less of a concern than second base but they should still consider adding more offense from that position in case of an injury. Engel would make a perfect fourth outfielder as he can literally play all three outfield positions. Having depth out there for 2022 should be one of the biggest keys to the offseason.
When the 2022 season begins, there are going to be big expectations for this organization. Fixing some of these pressing issues might really help them take that step towards becoming World Series champions.
light. Related Story. Garrett Crochet has been amazing so far for the White Sox