3 players that White Sox fans can’t trust going into 2022
Overall the offseason has been considered a disappointment by many Chicago White Sox fans. No significant acquisitions were made.
Adding Josh Harrison felt like a lateral move. At best it is a slight upgrade from Cesar Hernandez. The bullpen did improve by adding Kendall Graveman and Joe Kelly to the mix. However, Craig Kimbrel and his bloated contract remain as the White Sox were unable to move him.
Micheal Conforto is still available but it seems unlikely the White Sox will sign him. At this current moment, it looks like the roster is set and Rick Hahn is riding with the guys they’ve got.
Tony La Russa had a message for the fans who are not satisfied with the current roster.
“Those are probably fans who are not White Sox fans,” Tony La Russa said. “White Sox fans know there are guys in this camp who can handle it.”
Being able to handle a job is one thing. However, excelling at it is what it is going to take for the White Sox to reach their championship expectations. The White Sox have plenty of firepower. Jose Abreu is as reliable as they come. Lance Lynn was a Cy Young finalist and Luis Robert, Yoan Moncada and Eloy Jimenez are all budding stars.
The Chicago White Sox have a few players on the roster to worry about.
But with all that talent comes question marks. The reason White Sox fans wanted to see some more moves is that there are multiple players on the roster that are simply not reliable. They may be talented but their uneven track record shows they can’t be trusted in 2022.
Dallas Keuchel
Dallas Keuchel was bad in 2022 so it will be hard for White Sox fans to trust him.
Dallas Keuchel provides a ton to the White Sox. He is a veteran pitcher that knows what it takes to win. He has two All-Star appearances, a World Series ring, and a Cy Young Award to prove it. But the White Sox are rolling the dice by trotting him out on the mound every fifth day.
When the White Sox added him in 2020, he immediately proved to be a great pickup. He posted a 1.99 ERA which ranked third-best in the MLB. However, he failed to go deep into games. Most of his starts only lasted five or six innings.
He took a major step back in 2021. Keuchel unraveled with his ERA imploding to a career-worst 5.28. Things got so bad that he was left off the playoff roster.
Things were not all bad. He took home his fifth career Gold Glove with an impressive 12 defensive runs saved. Not only was it a career-high for the southpaw but it was also the most runs saved by a pitcher in nine years.
Who knows what the White Sox are going to get from him in 2022. But things turned sour really quick last season and the White Sox cannot afford a repeat of that performance. No starting pitching depth was added.
A talented but unproven Micheal Kopech is also joining the rotation. The White Sox are trusting Keuchel to be the player he once was in 2022. Things may work out but all signs point to this being a risky gamble.
Craig Kimbrel
The Chicago White Sox has a lot invested in Craig Kimbrel which is bad.
It was pretty clear that the White Sox were trying to trade Craig Kimbrel this offseason. Everyone knows it. That is why it is very concerning that he is still on the roster. Despite being having a career 2.18 ERA and 372 saves on his resume, he cannot be trusted in 2022.
His struggles last year were well documented. After dominating with the Cubs he was dealt to the White Sox to help with their World Series push. Kimbrel got shelled to the tune of a 5.09 ERA and converted just one of four save opportunities. He never looked comfortable in his new role as a setup man after being a Hall of Fame-caliber reliever.
His Cactus League appearances have not inspired much confidence either. It’s not that the eight-time All-Star is no longer talented. He proved that during the first half of the season with the Cubs. But mentally the White Sox are setting him up for failure.
Kimbrel knows the team was trying to get rid of him this offseason. He also is not comfortable being used as a setup man. Meanwhile, he is carrying an option worth 16 million which puts tremendous pressure on him to perform.
His confidence looked shot by the end of last season. Tony La Russa would be wise not to lean too heavily on Kimbrel in 2022.
Andrew Vaughn
The White Sox needs to be careful with Andrew Vaughn going into 2022.
Let’s get this out of the way. Andrew Vaughn is a stud. The fact he had to learn a new position last season while simultaneously adjusting to major league pitching is a testament to his maturity as a player.
He showed flashes of what he can become as a hitter as well. The 2018 Golden Spikes winner ranked in the top six percentile in max exit velocity. He logged 15 home runs and 37 extra-base hits. Meanwhile, his average exit velocity and hard-hit percentage ranked in the upper third of the league.
But if all signs point to the White Sox relying on him to help patch the hole in right field. This is a terrible idea. Contending teams do not put unproven players in unfamiliar positions.
Vaughn worked his tail off to be a serviceable MLB outfielder. But at this point in time, he is simply not a good defender. His range is below average. His spring speed is in the first percentile, which is considered very poor according to Statcast. His outfield jump is amongst the worse in the MLB and his outs recorded above-average have him in the bottom 96th percent of the league.
There are also concerns about Vaughn’s ability to hit right-handed pitching. He batted just .221 against righties in 2021. He will surely be a key piece of this team moving forward. He can even be a valuable contributor in 2022 but if he spends the bulk of his time in the outfield he should not be trusted.
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