5 reasons to question the 2023 Chicago White Sox's improvement
By Joe Santoro
1. Jose Abreu is gone
The Chicago White Sox are going to miss Jose Abreu in every way.
A year ago, the White Sox were trying to win a World Series. This offseason they allowed their best player to simply walk away without receiving as much as a dozen baseballs in return. How does that make you better than you were?
Abreu is, without question, one of the greatest White Sox first basemen and hitters in team history. He hit 243 homers and drove in 863 runs in 1,270 games in his White Sox career. You don't just let 243 homers and 863 RBI simply walk away if you are trying to win a World Series.
It is true that Andrew Vaughn, Abreu's replacement at first base, hit more homers (17-15) and drove in more runs (76-75) than Abreu last year in 124 fewer plate appearances.
Don't forget the six seasons that Abreu hit 25 or more homers, the six he drove in 100 or more runs, and the six he hit .290 or higher.
Letting Abreu walk away to the Houston Astros without compensation is, without question, inexcusable.