The Chicago White Sox haven't made a move yet during the 2022 Winter Meetings. They have been involved in some rumors but nothing has come to fruition just yet. They signed Mike Clevinger right after Thanksgiving and Jose Abreu is headed to the Houston Astros which rounds out thier news.
That doesn't mean that they are going to do nothing but it isn't the best start. Especially since the one team in their division that finished ahead of them in 2022 is out making really smart moves. The Cleveland Guardians are trying to build on what was a really strong year for them.
On Tuesday, it came out that they signed 1B Josh Bell to a two-year contract. He is going to be their new first baseman which is horrible news for the White Sox because their biggest hurdle just got higher to jump.
The Guardians had Josh Naylor in 2022 and he had his moments where he was awesome. He was especially good against the White Sox. However, instead of getting attached to a player that isn't a superstar, they found a way to upgrade at that position.
First baseman Josh Bell and the Cleveland Guardians are in agreement on a two-year contract, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 6, 2022
The White Sox certainly have their hands full with those Guardians.
That doesn't mean that Naylor will be useless to them in 2023 but Bell is their new first baseman. This is a phenomenal move for the Guardians as they try to repeat as the American League Central Division champions.
Bell is a first baseman that has been an All-Star and a Silver Slugger throughout his career. He spent the first five years of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates before making his way to the Washington Nationals in 2021.
In the middle of the 2022 season, he was a part of the Juan Soto trade with the San Diego Padres. He got to go from the last-place Nationals to the playoff-bound Padres. With San Diego, Bell played a role on a team that went to the National League Champion Series before losing to the Philadelphia Phillies.
He was a 3.0 WAR player thanks to his ability to hit well and play a pretty good first base. Combine that with the "Cleveland way" and you're going to see a really good player go up against the White Sox in 2023 and 2024.
This is a player that fits the profile of someone who typically destroys the White Sox. We can only hope that the White Sox make some moves to keep up with the Guardians otherwise next year is going to be more of the same.