White Sox finalize Opening Day roster

DETROIT – The 2022 White Sox goal is simple and straightforward, although it involves a couple of different components.

Win the American League Central for the second straight season, capture their first playoff series victory since 2005 and finish things off with their first World Series title in 17 seasons.

“There’s a lot of character on this club. They like each other, they love each other,” said White Sox manager Tony La Russa during Thursday’s workout at Comerica Park. “I’m confident we are going to take our best shot. The thing is you just have to be good enough. That’s why you play the games.”

Here’s a look at the Opening Day roster and the players who will begin working toward these goals for the White Sox.

Catcher (2): Yasmani Grandal, Reese McGuire
The backup catcher spot holds a more important role than usual with La Russa planning to give Grandal a couple games per week at designated hitter. The White Sox don’t want to lose his potent bat but also don’t want to overtax him early.

Grandal, in turn, wants to give McGuire time to get up to speed with the pitching staff after being acquired in a trade from Toronto.

“I understand what Tony is talking about, but I would much rather have Reese get about a week of actual work with the guys and in meetings, listening in on meetings to get a better understanding of those guys,” Grandal said. “I’ve been in his shoes of getting to a brand new team and having to figure out those guys right away. I’m sure he’s going to do a great job once it happens.”

First base (1): José Abreu
Possibility: Gavin Sheets
Is the ninth season for Abreu with the White Sox going to be the last season of his historic run in Chicago? Will it be the last season overall for the 2020 AL Most Valuable Player, who also played from 2003-13 for Cienfuegos in Cuba?

Abreu has taken a focus on the here and now approach, as he enters ’22 in the final year of a three-year, $50 million deal. He needs 22 home runs to reach 250 for his career, 37 doubles for 300 and 112 RBIs for 900, as Abreu continues to be a powerful middle-of-the-order presence. Sheets figures to work more at first and at designated hitter with the addition of outfielder AJ Pollock, although he has played more career games in right than Pollock.

Second base (1): Josh Harrison
The veteran infielder joined the White Sox on a one-year, $5.5 million deal, with an option for 2023. He brings a reputation as a tremendous clubhouse presence, and while he can literally play all over the diamond, he starts as the team’s primary second baseman. Leury García, a natural shortstop, also could figure into playing time at second.

Shortstop (1): Tim Anderson
Possibility: García

He has been an All-Star. He has won a Silver Slugger. He has won a batting title and came close to winning a second. And he hit a dramatic walk-off home run to defeat the Yankees in last year’s Field of Dreams classic in Iowa. So, what’s next for Anderson? He’s on a daily quest to improve his already high-level game and help the White Sox win a title.

His string of five straight Opening Day starts dating back to 2017 will end on April 8 in Detroit, as Anderson told the media that his three-game suspension handed down in the final week of the '21 season for making contact with an umpire during a benches-clearing disruption in Detroit was reduced to two games and a $10,000 fine. The White Sox will be at 27 players for the first two games.

Third base (1): Jake Burger
Possibilities: García, Vaughn, Harrison, Danny Mendick

Yoán Moncada was placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 5) with a right oblique strain, with Jake Burger recalled from Triple-A Charlotte to make his first career Opening Day start. Burger also made his Major League debut at Comerica Park on July 2, 2021. General manager Rick Hahn expects Moncada back in approximately three weeks.

Andrew Vaughn took grounders at third during workouts in Arizona Wednesday and then again in Detroit.

“We told him to get some ground balls and don’t be surprised if he’s in there at some point,” La Russa said.

Designated hitter (1): Vaughn
Possibilities: Sheets, Grandal, Abreu, Burger
Listing one starter doesn’t make sense, as La Russa intends to move many players through this spot. Vaughn is ready to play the outfield, as well, after basically recovering in one week from a right hip pointer. Sheets showed off his left-handed power bat last season with 11 homers in 179 plate appearances.

Outfield (4): Luis Robert, Eloy Jiménez, AJ Pollock, Adam Engel
Possibilities: Vaughn, García, Harrison, Sheets
Pollock will be the Opening Day right fielder but can capably handle any outfield spot. If Robert stays healthy, he becomes a prime AL MVP candidate.

Utility (3): García, Mendick, Sheets
García opens the season at shortstop, hitting sixth. Mendick literally can play anywhere on the diamond and serves as the team’s emergency catcher.

Starting pitchers (5): Lucas Giolito, Dylan Cease, Michael Kopech, Vince Velasquez, Dallas Keuchel
The Opening Day nod on April 8 in Detroit is the third straight for Giolito. Cease moves up to the second spot, with Lance Lynn needing surgery for a slight tear in a tendon near his right knee and possibly out as long as two months. Kopech completes the first weekend’s starting three, although he didn’t get more than three ups in either of his two Spring Training starts.

“Obviously his inning load for the course of the season was something that was going to be monitored,” Hahn said of Kopech. “So, him building up a little bit slowly in the start is only going to serve us well for the long-term.”

Reynaldo López and Velasquez are stretched out as starting options, although the fourth starter won’t be announced until the White Sox get through this first series. Carlos Rodón, who faced the White Sox on March 24 in Cactus League play, currently sits atop the Giants' rotation after departing via free agency.

Bullpen (9): Liam Hendriks (closer), Kendall Graveman, Aaron Bummer, Reynaldo López, José Ruiz, Matt Foster, Tanner Banks, Bennett Sousa, Kyle Crick
Possibility: Joe Kelly
The White Sox had the AL’s best bullpen on paper going into the ’22 season, before trading Craig Kimbrel to the Dodgers for Pollock and officially losing Garrett Crochet to season-ending Tommy John surgery. Crochet’s loss is significant, as he was moving into the hybrid reliever/starter role held by Kopech in ’21.

Kelly, who looked good during Spring Training, didn’t break camp as he works his way back from a nerve issue near his right biceps. Burr joined him on the injured list with a right shoulder strain, meaning Foster was recalled from Charlotte with Burger. And after 168 Minor League appearances and 743 1/3 career Minor League innings, the 30-year-old Banks will be making his Major League debut.