After another spectacular season from the Chicago White Sox, they fell to the Houston Astros in the ALDS. The Sox dominated the AL Central and showed the world how good they really are. Led by all-star’s Tim Anderson and Carlos Rodon the team was electric. The pitching and hitting had their ups and downs, but in the end, they pulled through adversity. Although, the Sox dealt with many injuries from Yasmani Grandal, Carlos Rodon, Lance Lynn, and many more.
The Sox were one of the most active teams at the trade deadline. They acquired Craig Kimbrel from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Nick Madrigal and Codi Heuer. They also acquired Ryan Tepera from the Cubs and Cesar Hernandez from the Cleveland Indians. These players gave a huge boost to the team and played a big role in the playoffs. Overall, the Sox played extremely well this season and will be contenders in the years to come.
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Key Info
Manager: Tony La Russa
Record: 93-69
Position: First in AL Central
Postseason: Lost in ALDS
Overall Performance
The White Sox put up some pretty solid stats this season. The offense dominated by smacked a whopping 190 home runs (nine-teenth in MLB), along with a .256 batting average (5). They also drove in 757 RBI (8) along with an OPS of .758 (7). On the defensive side, the Sox also played extremely well. They made some spectacular plays and finished the season with a .982 fielding percentage. Record wise, the Sox dominated in Chicago with a 53-28 record, while when away, they fall below .500 at 40-41. If compared to the 2020 season, the Sox performed much better this season and show great potential for the next few years.
Award Winners
Most Valuable Player/Best Hitter of the Year: Jose Abreu
Abreu dominated in the 2021 season and his stats show why he deserves these two awards. Abreu was just overall the best player on the team this year. He finished with a .260 batting average, 30 home runs, 117 RBI (fourth in MLB), and an OPS of .870. Abreu was clutch, consistent, and a great first baseman. While the Sox dealt with many injuries, Abreu always stepped up and persevered. The 34-year-old is considered one of the best first basemen in this year’s season.
Starting Pitcher of the Year/Comeback Player of the Year: Carlos Rodon
What a spectacular season from Rodon. He was considered one of the best pitchers in the MLB throughout most of the season. Rodon was dominant, consistent, and fought hard to win this award. He finished with a record of 13-5 along with 185 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.37. Rodon put on a show this year and really showed what he is made of. Hopefully, the Sox can rely on him to pitch well in the near future. Notably, because of Rodon’s performance, he is a contender for this year’s AL Cy Young Award.
Due to shoulder pain, Rodon had to miss most of the 2020 season. He came back in 2021 and was electric. It’s amazing to see players come back from injuries and play well. Rodon is one of those players who fight through adversity and push themselves to be the best they can be. The starting pitcher has an amazing comeback story and deserves his spot for Comeback Player of the Year.
Relief Pitcher of the Year: Liam Hendriks
Prior to the 2021 season, the White Sox signed Hendriks for three years. After being signed, the reliever went to work. He was spectacular for the Sox and led the American League in saves and finished second in the MLB. Hendriks came through in big moments and gave a big boost to the White Sox bullpen. The 32-year-old appeared in 69 games and struck out 113 along with a 2.54 ERA. Through Hendriks’s dominance, he shows why Relief Pitcher of the Year is the perfect award for him.
Best Fielder of the Year: Luis Robert
Although Robert missed part of the season, he still made some spectacular plays in the outfield and was the best fielder on the squad. In his time in the outfield, Robert finished with a .976 fielding percentage along with an extremely low 4 errors. Similarly, the 24-year-old had 159 putouts and 166 defensive chances. The youngster has a cannon of an arm and really showed it off this season. Robert definitely deserves this award besides the fact that he missed some time due to injury.
What’s Next?
After the way the White Sox performed in this year’s season, there are a few things that need to be cleaned up. While Chicago has an All-Star lineup, they still need some help on the offensive side. Chris Taylor, Trevor Story, and Marcus Semien are all great options to boost the White Sox offense. On the pitching side, there isn’t that much help needed but another reliever/starter would help. The offseason is a big part of the success of a team, and in order for the Sox to win a championship, they have to make bold moves.
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