The Chicago White Sox are getting ready to play a series with the San Diego Padres this weekend. It is coming after a very tough series with the Arizona Diamondbacks. They lost that series 2-1 which had a major impact on the NL Wild Card race.
Now, this series isn’t going to impact the postseason at all. The San Diego Padres are a lot like the 2022 White Sox. They were a force the year prior and have failed to meet expectations this season but are not a straight-up horrible team.
San Diego is loaded with talent all over the field. They have outstanding hitters and great pitching but they haven’t been able to put it together this year. It should be interesting to see how they react to this season once the playoffs roll around.
White Sox fans might have a hard time finding reasons to be excited for this series with the Padres. Well, there are three really good reasons for fans to tune into this series as there are some things to keep an eye on.
The Chicago White Sox need a good showing in this final series of 2023.
1. Eloy Jimenez
The Chicago White Sox have a very interesting player in Eloy Jimenez. He is a great power hitter but injuries have somewhat hindered his development. This year was much better but he still has a long way to go.
There were some rumors about his potential departure via trade this season but it never ended up happening. Now, he is entering this final season of 2023 with a cloudy future. It would be nice to see the White Sox keep him but you just never know. It will be fun to see if he can end the season on a really high note.
2. Dylan Cease
Dylan Cease is going to take the mound for the White Sox on Friday. He has had a down season (by his standards) this season and is hoping to bounce back in 2024. White Sox fans are going to want to see his final start of 2023.
Like Jimenez, there were rumors surrounding his potential trade. It felt like it was going to happen but it obviously never did. Now, this could be his last start in a White Sox uniform. It will be interesting to see if he can end strong after an amazing start last weekend. It might be nice to see him return next year to see if he can be that elite guy again while wearing a White Sox uniform.
3. It is going to be a long off-season
Yes, you are mad at the White Sox. You should be. They are a joke and have very little care for their fans. However, you love them. You love them so much otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this. Now, these are the final three games until spring training starts in March.
The weather is going to be unbearable for five months before it is good again (maybe) in the spring. Now is your last chance to just sit back and enjoy some baseball. At the end of the day, this is summer’s sport and our favorite team only has three games left. Hopefully, everyone finds a way to enjoy this final series.