Chicago White Sox: 3 players that can dethrone Ohtani as MVP
On Thursday night MLB award season came to an end, culminating with the 2021 MVP winners. Jose Abreu’s name appeared on the MVP ballot once again after winning the award in 2020. He became the first Chicago White Sox player to win the award since Frank Thomas.
Ultimately, he was unable to defend his title. Shohei Ohtani was named the American League MVP after putting together one of the most impressive campaigns in MLB history. Ohtani proved to be the best two-way player the sport has seen since Babe Ruth.
The Japanese sensation had a WAR of 9.1, the highest mark in the MLB. He amassed 46 home runs, stole 25 bases, and hit eight triples, which tied for the major league lead. He also posted a .965 OPS which was the second-highest in the AL.
Ohtani joined Alfonso Soriano, Chipper Jones, Jose Canseco, Larry Walker, and Barry Bonds as the only players in major league history to hit 45+ home runs and have 25+ stolen bases. Ohtani also made 23 starts for the Angels and complied 130 1/3 innings.
He was named the AL starting pitcher in the All-Star game and finished the season with a 3.18 ERA, 156 strikeouts, and 44 walks. Out of all MLB pitchers that logged at least 120 innings, Ohtani ranked within the top 14% in strikeout percentage, the top 19% in opponents’ slugging percentage, and the top 16% in expected fielding independent pitching.
There are a few Chicago White Sox players that can win Most Valuable Player.
Nobody in the American League stood a chance. Ohtani received all 30 first-place votes making him a unanimous MVP. The Chicago White Sox are loaded with talent. There are plenty of names on the roster that can make a run at MVP in 2022. Here are three Chicago White Sox players that can dethrone Ohtani as MVP:
Jose Abreu
Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox has already won the AL MVP award.
Let’s get the obvious one out of the way. Abreu is one of the most decorated players in franchise history. In 2014 he won Rookie of the Year and finished fourth in the MVP voting. He has been on the ballot every year of his career since then except for 2016. He still managed to win a Silver Slugger award that season.
He is making a legitimate case to be in the Hall of Fame. He is a three-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger winner, three-time AL Player of the Month winner, five-time AL player of the week winner, and 2020 AL MVP winner. In 2017 he joined the elite company by becoming the fourth player in MLB history to start his career with four straight with 25+ home runs and 100+ RBIs.
His 2021 season was not the best that Abreu had to offer but he still managed to put up a .261/.351/.481 slash line with 30 home runs, 117 RBIs, and a .831 OPS. This production came despite the fact Abreu was going through the toughest season of his career. He battled multiple injuries and was constantly getting drilled by pitches.
Abreu is showing no signs of slowing down. With his improved defense at first base, a full season of lineup protection (barring any unforeseen injuries), he should continue to be in the MVP conversation.
Luis Robert
Luis Robert is a legit 2022 MVP candidate right now for the Chicago White Sox.
Luis Robert has the highest upside of any player on the team. He is just scratching the surface of his potential. Robert has yet to play a full major league season. In 2020, the season was shortened to 60-games due to COVID-19. He took home a Gold Glove for his work in center field and finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting.
Then in 2021, he suffered a torn hip flexor, sidelining him for three months. However, Robert showed flashes of MVP caliber potential near the end of the season. In September he batted .367, launched six home runs, and drove in 20 RBIs. He also amasses an impressive .633 slugging percentage.
Despite only 275 at-bats, he racked up 13 home runs, 43 RBIs, and six stolen bases. He also posted a .338 batting average and a .946 OPS. Robert possesses a rare combination of speed, arm strength, and power.
He can also hit for average, making him a complete five-tool player. If Robert can stay healthy for a full season, then the sky is the limit. If the end of last season is any implication, then La Pantera should be in the MVP hunt in 2022.
Eloy Jimenez
Eloy Jimenez of the Chicago White Sox has a good enough bat to be the MVP.
In today’s MLB, home runs are the name of the game as a hitter. If you look at the top three in the MVP voting this year (Shohei Ohtani, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Marcus Semien) all of them hit 45 home runs or more.
Nobody on the Chicago White Sox has more raw power than Eloy Jimenez. In his rookie season, he hit 31 home runs and finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting. That total could have been higher but he missed 40 games due to injury. In 2020 he hit 14 home runs in 55 games and took home a Silver Slugger Award. Jimenez was primed for a breakout year in 2021.
Hitting coach Frank Menechino even went as far as to say Jimenez could compete for a batting title. Unfortunately, bad defense cost him most of the 2021 campaign as he injured himself in spring training trying to rob a home run.
Injuries have been a concern with Jimenez. If he can stay on the field for a full major league season, he can put up some absurd power numbers. Pitchers won’t be able to pitch around him either because he is surrounded by players like Jose Abreu, Yoan Moncada, Luis Robert, and Yasmani Grandal. If Jimenez can stay on the field and play sufficient defense in left field, there is no reason why he couldn’t be in the MVP race. He is only 24 years old and is yet to enter his prime.
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