3 things to watch for in Chicago White Sox home opener
Since the Chicago White Sox last played at Guaranteed Rate Field, Major League Baseball had a 99-day lockout, spring training was reduced from six weeks to three, and the White Sox opened their new 2022 season in Detroit with a 2-1 series win. Now, it is time to come home.
The Chicago White Sox will begin the home portion of their schedule against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday at 3:10 PM. It is going to be a very tough series between two teams that would love to be in the playoffs in 2022.
Seattle came so close to ending its drought in 2021 but fell just short. Now, they made some big additions in the winter that they believe will make a difference to get them in. The White Sox are going to have to be at their best in order to win this series.
Think of Seattle in the same breath as the Detroit Tigers except they are about a year ahead. They had that surprise season where they were good already and now there are expectations on them to take that next step. Like the White Sox, they went 2-1 in their opening weekend series.
The Chicago White Sox are hoping for a big series against the Seattle Mariners.
It is going to be a very fun series for fans of both teams as there will be a lot of talent in both dugouts. It is a pretty tough way for each of them to start the first full week of the season but you need to beat good teams to be considered a good team. These are the things to really keep an eye on during this home-opening game for the White Sox:
Pitching Matchup
The Chicago White Sox need the best from their starter in their home opener.
The modern-day Chicago White Sox is usually a team that has an outstanding rotation. Unfortunately, injuries to Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito are forcing them to miss a few starts which is depleting thier depth a little bit. They need others to step up big in order to survive this period with a good record.
As a result, Vince Velasquez is going to make his Chicago White Sox debut as a starter. He is a guy who will provide innings as a starter and as a reliever throughout the season but will get the ball first in this home opener. It would be really cool to see him help the team win in front of the home crowd.
Velasquez is going to go up against Matt Brash of the Seattle Mariners. It is going to be his MLB debut on the mound for the Mariners at 23 years old. It is definitely going to be a cool moment for him and his family as he steps onto a big-league mound for the first time ever.
Yes, it is an advantage for the White Sox as that lineup will face a rookie but thinking that they will just destroy him on that fact is dangerous. He made the rotation of a team that believes they will make the playoffs for a reason and deserve respect. If the White Sox work the counts well against him and get good stuff from Velasquez, they will win.
Luis Robert
The Chicago White Sox have a superstar talent right now in Luis Robert.
The Chicago White Sox are going to have a very good batting order in pretty much every game that they play this season. There are studs all over the place which is one this team is a legit World Series contender as currently constructed.
As good as these other players are, nobody even comes close to Luis Robert. He is someone that could actually be an MVP caliber player when the season is all said and done. If he stays healthy, the sky is the limit for him in his career. Based on what we have seen so far in his career, he has all of the tools to be a top-ten MLB player.
In three games so far this season, he has arguably been Chicago’s best player. He plays outstanding defensive centerfield and the first three games came in Detroit where the Tigers have a huge outfield. For that reason alone, he is incredibly valuable.
His bat is really where his upside is, however, which is saying something because of how good he is in the field. Through his first three games, he leads the White Sox with five hits. He didn’t display his full power yet in Detroit’s huge stadium which might be smart because you really have to lean into one to get it out of that park.
He didn’t hit a home run there and only has one RBI. Expect him to break through in that department now that he is home. It is going to be a huge year for Robert and he is off to a great start. It is going to be so fun watching him take it to the next level.
The Bullpen
The bullpen needs to step up big for the Chicago White Sox this season.
Despite Liam Hendriks and Aaron Bummer’s bad performance in the first game of the season, the bullpen of the Chicago White Sox has been magnificent. They have a lot of very good players that have the ability to lock it down once the starter comes out for the game.
Liam Hendriks is the guy who is supposed to be the best of them. He was one of the best relievers in Major League Baseball last season but you might remember that he had a tough start to the season as well. He will bounce back from that bad game in a big way starting this week.
Even Aaron Bummer will bounce back as he is historically one of the best. Add in guys like Kendall Graveman, Tanner Banks, Bennett Sousa, Jose Ruiz, and Kyle Crick for a very good pen whether you know their names or not.
Some of these guys have magnificent stories to describe their unlikely arrival to Major League Baseball and some made it in a very traditional manner but they all have the same goal. On most days or nights that the White Sox lead early enough, the bullpen should be able to get the ball from the starter to the closer with no damage done.
This is going to be a very good (home) Opening Day for everyone. The weather is supposed to be splendid and the teams on the field are very good. It is going to be a very good home schedule this year and it all starts on Tuesday!
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