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Chicago White Sox: 3 free agents in World Series to consider

By Mitchell Kaminski

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 31: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves hits a single against Kendall Graveman #31 of the Houston Astros during the eighth inning in Game Five of the World Series at Truist Park on October 31, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 31: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves hits a single against Kendall Graveman #31 of the Houston Astros during the eighth inning in Game Five of the World Series at Truist Park on October 31, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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Chicago White Sox, Jorge Soler
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Jorge Soler would be a great fit for the Chicago White Sox during the 2022 season.

There are few trade deadline acquisitions that have made a larger impact than Jorge Soler to the Atlanta Braves. Atlanta’s season was hanging in the balance with Ronald Acuna Jr lost for the season and Marcell Ozuna getting arrested for domestic violence charges. Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos turned to Jorge Soler to patch one of the holes in the outfield. Soler has done that and then some.

In 55 games with Atlanta, Soler belted 14 home runs, drove in 33, and posted a .524 slugging percentage. He also hit .269 which helped attribute to his .882 OPS. During the postseason he led off the World Series with a home run in Game 1 then hit a massive go-ahead blast in Game 4.

The White Sox are familiar with Soler’s bat. He has tormented them as a member of the Kansas City Royals. He led the American League with 48 home runs in 2019. He just so happens to check every box the White Sox need.

It’s no secret that the White Sox were better when they hit home runs. Despite a lineup full of power, the White Sox did not hit home runs at a very high rate. Adding Soler would help solve that problem. His power would play perfectly in Guaranteed Rate Field.

The White Sox needs a solution to right field. Soler is a capable outfielder who can also serve as a designated hitter if need be. An outfield that features Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, and Jorge Soler would rival any in the league. Soler’s durability is also a plus. He led the AL in games played in 2020.

Finally, Soler is battle-tested in the postseason. He won the World Series with the Chicago Cubs in 2016 and has five career postseason home runs. There are some concerns, however. The 29-year has a bad habit of expanding the strike zone. Soler led the league in strikeouts in 2019 with 178. He also ranked 17th in the AL in 2020.

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