3 Chicago White Sox players who lived up to the hype during the previous rebuild
Not every player on the rebuilding Chicago White Sox became a failure.
The Chicago White Sox started a big-time rebuild after their 2016 season came to an end with a whimper.
It turned out to be a massive failure after a promising start. Many of the players that they put a lot of faith in never reached their potential in Major League Baseball.
Despite it being mostly a group of busts, not every player was the worst thing that ever happened to the team.
There are a few guys that lived up to their potential during this era. These are the three players that everyone should remember fondly:
Lucas Giolito was great for the White Sox for most of his time in Chicago.
One player that was good for the White Sox, whether people want to admit it or not, was Lucas Giolito. He was acquired at the very early stages of the rebuild in the Adam Eaton trade and he lived up to his status as a top prospect.
Did he ever become that truly elite ace? He came close but a little bit short. He did come in 6th, 7th, and 11th in Cy Young voting in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
In a White Sox uniform, he had a record of 59-52 with a 4.20 ERA, 1.226 WHIP, and 993 strikeouts in 929.0 innings pitched. He was a borderline Cy Young candidate for a few years there and he missed a lot of bats as a result of his great stuff.
The White Sox pitching staff became pretty bad and the rebuild ended early as a result but Giolito was hardly the problem.
Now, he is with the Boston Red Sox but is out for the year following his Tommy John surgery. We can only hope that he one-day returns and pitches well.
Dylan Cease exceeded expectations with the Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox acquired Dylan Cease when he was a top MLB pitching prospect in the Chicago Cubs system. Eloy Jimenez came with him while Jose Quintana went up north to the Cubs.
Cease had a lot of hype around him as a pitcher and he exceeded all of the expectations on him. His peak was the best peak of any pitcher that the White Sox had during the rebuild.
While in a White Sox uniform, Cease had a 43-35 with a 3.83 ERA and a 1.305 WHIP. Cease had 792 strikeouts in 658.0 innings pitched. His low ERA and high volume of strikeouts made him one of the best pitchers in the AL for a few years.
In 2022, Cease was the Cy Young runner-up (Justin Verlander) with a 14-8 record, 2.20 ERA, and 227 strikeouts in 184.0 innings pitched. It was a career year for him.
Right before this 2024 season started, the White Sox traded Cease to the San Diego Padres for a haul of prospects. Since getting there, he has been very good again.
Although most players in the White Sox rebuild didn't pan out, the same can't be said for Cease. He exceeded his expectations.
The Chicago White Sox did a great job with Jake Burger during the rebuild
Jake Burger was drafted before the rebuild technically started but he was a part of it for a few different reasons.
After being drafted in the first round, Burger had two massive injuries that kept him from playing baseball for a few years. The idea of giving up on the dream went through Jake Burger's mind but he didn't go through with it. He stuck it out.
He then made his MLB debut in 2021 and had some playing time for that whole season. He eventually became a staple in the lineup and was considered one of their top hitters by 2023.
His determination to reach his potential despite the struggles off the field with injury made him an incredible story that people loved. He was a big part of the fun during this era as he lived up to the hype despite the issues.
Now, Burger plays for the Miami Marlins. Rick Hahn made one last bad trade on his way out and sent Burger away for a medium-level prospect. It is a shame that he's gone but there will always be good memories.
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