The Chicago White Sox Might Be the AL’s Best Team
by Owen Stephens
There are countless blueprints for how to win games and sustain success in the MLB. Some teams stack starting pitching, other teams like deep bullpens. Some teams rely on the home run ball to beat teams, while others depend on walks to produce runs.
In the case of the 2020 White Sox, the blueprint was to combine an AL Rookie of the Year candidate in Luis Robert with two AL MVP candidates in Tim Anderson and José Abreu, creating a three-headed monster that has annihilated Central division pitchers in this abbreviated 2020 season and become baseball’s most watchable team. Hard to argue that it’s not one of the best blueprints in baseball.
After a mediocre 2019 year in which they finished below .500, the White Sox were anxious to start playing this season, and they got off to a red hot start. Chicago won 18 games in the month of August including a seven-game winning streak in which they outscored their opponents 55-16.
This stretch of domination set the tone for how the White Sox would play this entire season.. One-through-nine in the lineup can hurt you, and they have all fed off each others’ success, with multiple players on pace for reaching career numbers had this been a full-length season.
Offensive Juggernaut
Shortstop Tim Anderson, one of two MVP candidates on the White Sox, is hitting a career-high .366 and has an OPS over 1.000 for the first time, in addition to being on pace for more home runs, hits, and RBIs than any other season in his career. In fact, just last week, OTBB took a deep dive into Anderson and a BABIP that invokes memories of Babe Ruth.
Despite these excellent numbers, Anderson’s career-season has taken a backseat to first baseman José Abreu. Abreu was an All-Star in 2018 and 2019He’s been quietly reliable for his whole career in Chicago, never hitting below .260 or fewer than 20 home runs. This season, however, his bat has exploded with a .330 average and 18 home runs, second only to Luke Voit
The 2020 Chicago White Sox are the type of team that can make noise in the playoffs this year, and they can also benefit from the best-of-three Wild Card series. This series, while a great opportunity for an underdog to stun a top seed out of nowhere, is also a chance for a team like the White Sox to build some momentum and really settle into the playoffs. If they can keep the bats going like they are now, they’ll have a chance to put up some big numbers in the Wild Card series, and set the tone for the playoffs.
In addition to the massive seasons from Anderson and Abreu, the White Sox have had support throughout their lineup. Rookie center fielder Luis Robert is putting together a season deserving of a ROTY award, though he may get beat out by Seattle’s Kyle Lewis. Robert’s 11 homers and 30 RBIs show a quick transition to the league. Robert is stellar defensively as well, and could be a huge x-factor in the playoffs. Another rookie, second baseman Nick Madrigal, was called up on July 31st, and has picked up 26 hits in 22 games played. Left fielder Eloy Jiménez has hit 13 home runs in just 50 games, and has played a huge role in the White Sox offense, supporting Abreu and Anderson. This offense has its superstars, and they shine bright
Quality Pitching
Because they are so explosive offensively, we often forget how good the White Sox pitching staff is. They have a team-ERA of 3.53, fourth best in the MLB, and have given up the fewest home runs of any team (56). Dallas Keuchel has been the ace in his first year in Chicago, with a 6-2 record and an ERA of 2.04 in 57.1 innings. Keuchel relies on movement, with his best pitches being his sinker and cut fastball, both in the high-80s. He induces lots of ground balls, which complements the rock-solid infield behind him.
Keuchel is joined in the rotation by Lucas Giolito, who emerged as a star last year and has continued his brilliance into this season. He leads the team in strikeouts with 86, and made history on August 25th when he no-hit the Pirates behind thirteen strikeouts, the MLB’s first no-hitter of 2020.
Chicago’s bullpen has also been excellent this season, rounding out an incredibly well-balanced White Sox team. Matt Foster has given up just 5 runs in 17 games, and boasts a 5-0 record that looks impressive next to a 2.25 ERA. Codi Heuer has also been superb, with a 1.77 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 20.1 innings.
Playoff Rookies
From the outside, the White Sox are certainly one of the MLB’s top title contenders. Their only knock is lack of playoff experience, which likely will not matter as much with no fans. They have one of the most powerful and dangerous lineups in the league, and their pitching staff can hold off any offense to allow that lineup to rake. Even when you set aside the baseball, though, the White Sox feel like a team of destiny. Although some had their eye on the Sox as a potential breakout team this season, they were not expected to compete for the top seed in the AL.
Often, when a team starts playing above expectations, they realize that there is no limit to what they can achieve, both individually and as a team. These players have fed off of each others’ energy and success all year long. Need proof? To kick off their seven-game August win streak, they defeated St. Louis 7-1. The 6 runs that made the difference all came in the fifth inning, during which the White Sox hit four consecutive home runs. Back-to-back-to-back-back. That type of thing happens to a team that has full belief in itself.
Ultimately, of course, there is not a single blueprint to success in the MLB, or even a limit to the number of blueprints there can be. We’ve seen teams win championships with pretty imaginative strategies in the last couple years, and surely there will be new recipes in the future.
As long as baseball never changes fundamentally, however, certain traits will always lead to team success, and the 2020 White Sox have quite a few of those characteristics. No pitcher is safe from their efficient and powerful lineup, and they can beat you with any part of that lineup. They can jump out to a lead before you record an out, and the combined efforts of their starter and bullpen might never let that lead go. They play with a sense of excitement and love for the game of baseball. The White Sox are built to make a run in this year’s postseason, and fans of the game should consider themselves lucky to have a chance to watch this squad. They feature some of the MLB’s superstars of tomorrow, but are hungry to prove they can win this year.
