Notable Additions: Mike Soroka, Martin Maldonado, Chris Flexen
Notable Losses: Tim Anderson, Liam Hendriks, Mike Clevenger
Since winning the AL Central in 2021, the White Sox have been a colossal disappointment. Going 61-101 in 2023, the White Sox had their 2nd worst regular season in the modern era of baseball. The White Sox moved to fire long-standing GM Rick Hahn and VP Ken Williams. They look to carry in a positive direction. Still, unfortunately for them, I do not see that improvement happening this season.
Projected Starters
C: Martin Maldonado
1B: Andrew Vaughn
2B: Nicky Lopez
3B: Yoan Moncada
SS: Paul DeJong
LF: Andrew Benintendi
CF: Luis Robert Jr
RF: Dominic Fletcher
DH: Eloy Jimenez
Some notable names are on this list; however, most underperformed last season. Andrew Benintendi only hit .262/.326/.356 with 5 home runs and an 87 WRC+, the worst WRC+ of his career. Yoan Moncada hit .260/.305/.425, 11 home runs, a 98 WRC+, and the lowest walk rate of his career. Eloy Jimenez eclipsed the 100-game mark for the second time in his career, hitting .272/.317/.441 with 18 home runs and a 105 WRC+. While his stats are solid, his ability to stay on the field is in question. As a team, the White Sox were second last OPS in 2023. Overall, I give their hitting a 3/10.
Projected Starting Rotation
Dylan Cease
Eric Fedde
Michael Kopech
Mike Soroka
Chris Flexen
The 2024 White Sox rotation has a lot to prove. Cease had a breakout year in 2022 but regressed poorly in 2023 with a 4.58 ERA. He looks to return to form in 2024. As for the rest of the rotation, a lot of new faces. Fedde is looking to prove he is still an MLB-caliber starter, Soroka and Flexen are looking to prove they still have it, and Kopech is looking to prove that he still has potential. Overall, this rotation does not strike fear into my heart, 3/10.
The bullpen needs a dominant arm with the departure of Liam Hendriks. Granted, he is less dominant than before, but it is still a considerable loss. Byran Shaw looks to assume the role of closer. I do not know how I feel about this decision. In 45.2 innings pitched, Shaw had a 4.14ERA and a 3.87 FIP. At 35 years old, he is not the closer for years to come, and I would not be surprised if he is replaced at some point in the season. Bullpen Ranking 2/10.
Sock’s 2 X-Factors
Dylan Cease: While Cease did not have a good 2023, he has the tools to bounce back. While his 4.58 ERA was bad, he had a 3.72 FIP. He still had good strikeout numbers, posting 214 and a 10.9 K/9. His whiff percentage is in the 84th percentile, and I still trust his fastball and slider to be a deadly one-two punch. At 28 years old, he is in the prime of his pitching career. The question is, will he survive the trade deadline?
Luis Robert Jr: With a career-high 38 home runs, Luis Robert has arrived in Chicago. Robert signed a 6-year/50 million dollar extension with 2 years of club options, which can make it an 8-year/88 million dollar deal. The contract is a steal. Robert had trouble staying healthy during the first few years of his career. After playing 145 games last year, those troubles are hopefully behind him. Hitting .264/.315/.542 in 2023 with a 128 WRC+, Robert will be the star player for this team.
Sleeper: Andrew Vaughn: Turning 26 in April, Andrew Vaughn is one of the core pieces of this White Sox rebuild. Vaughn hit .258/.314/.429 last season with a 103WRC+. He had a career-high 21 home runs last year and shows improvement in power each season. While this White Sox team is not very explosive, I think Vaughn can be in 2024.
Prospects to Look Forward To
Colson Montgomery: A top 10 prospect in the MLB, Montgomery is the future cornerstone for the Chicago White Sox. He will likely move to third base when he is called up, but his bat is his calling card. Montgomery has advanced plate presence for a kid his age. He has yet to tap into his power, but with a .939 OPS across the minors, he should have no problem improving in Triple-A this year.
Noah Schultz: The huge 6’9″ lefty is poised to be a threat you do not want to face. Selected in 2022, Schultz has an impressive fastball and an even more impressive slider. In 10 games in Single-A, he put up a 1.33ERA with 37 strikeouts in 27 innings pitched. At only 20 years old, the ace of the future awaits in the White Sox farm system.
GM For a Day
If I were GM for the Chicago White Sox, I would look to trade not only Dylan Cease at the deadline but also Eloy Jimenez. Jimenez has two team options after this year, but I don’t see the value of picking them up long-term for the White Sox. He has trouble staying healthy, and he is a full-time DH now. A team needing a hitter could be willing to give you a prospect that can last you longer than the 3 years of control he has left. The White Sox have a long rebuild ahead of them; stock up on as many prospects as possible.
Projected Finish 61-101, 5th in the AL Central, 14th in the AL
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