What’s next for White Sox? 4 questions for 2022

CHICAGO -- Will the White Sox win the 2022 World Series title?

That is the primary question and, for some, the only one after an extended rebuild and back-to-back first-round playoff exits. Quite frankly, it’s an important question to be ultimately answered by the White Sox front office and players.

But that won't be answered until October, so here are four questions for Chicago to put that championship push in motion.

1. Who is in right field?

If a survey was taken among ardent White Sox fans, the popular choice would be Michael Conforto, with his left-handed power bat and .356 career on-base percentage over seven seasons with the Mets. There are other high-quality free-agent options, but the White Sox also have viable internal choices.

Andrew Vaughn played 94 of his 127 games as a rookie in left field but did have 15 games in right. The right-handed hitter finished with 15 home runs, 22 doubles and 48 RBIs after getting only 55 games of prior Minor League experience, with no 2020 Minor League season and while learning a new defensive position on the fly. He seemed to hit a wall in September, with a 4-for-42 showing and no extra-base hits, but Vaughn certainly figures prominently into the White Sox plans.

Gavin Sheets provides a left-handed power bat like Conforto, albeit with his career ledger showing 11 home runs in just 179 plate appearances as a rookie. He could see more time as designated hitter with only 11 starts in right during ’21 after he worked to learn the position in the previous offseason. The White Sox also have veteran Adam Engel, a strong defensive presence to put next to Luis Robert in center, and the return of versatile veteran Leury García.

2. Does the team need more pitching?

Michael Kopech will make his jump to the starting rotation after striking out 103 over 69 1/3 innings in 44 games last season, with 40 of those appearances in relief. While adding his electric talent to the rotation is highly anticipated, Kopech also will be somewhat limited innings-wise. Southpaw Garrett Crochet, another reliever who is projected long-term as a starter, is penciled in for the sort of bullpen/rotation hybrid role in ’22 handled by Kopech last season.

The rotation already is solid, with Lucas Giolito, Dylan Cease and Lance Lynn at the top and Dallas Keuchel, an accomplished veteran and past Cy Young winner, providing a left-handed presence. Keuchel has to bounce back from a ’21 campaign in which he finished with a 5.28 ERA over 32 games (30 starts).

Liam Hendriks was the AL’s best reliever in ’21 and returns at the back of the White Sox bullpen. The team added Kendall Graveman via free agency prior to the lockout to go with Crochet, Aaron Bummer and Craig Kimbrel in high-leverage situations. According to sources, the club added free-agent reliever Joe Kelly on a two-year deal on Saturday.

3. What happens with Kimbrel?

With their target set on a ’21 World Series title, the White Sox made a bold move at the Trade Deadline last year in acquiring Kimbrel from the Cubs for second baseman Nick Madrigal and reliever Codi Heuer. It was the right move, in that Kimbrel was the National League’s top closer during the first half with the Cubs, but it didn’t pay the dividends originally hoped as Kimbrel posted a 5.09 ERA over 24 games primarily as Hendriks’ setup man.

The White Sox exercised the $16 million club option for ’22 on Kimbrel, but that move doesn’t necessarily mean he’s staying on the South Side. Kimbrel ranks ninth all-time with 372 saves and first among active closers, so he might be better served back in that familiar closer’s role somewhere else. If he stays with the White Sox, they will have to reexamine how they employ him.

“[We] made no secret about the fact that how we used Craig last year didn’t quite work to anyone’s benefit,” general manager Rick Hahn said before the lockout. “Certainly, there’s a spot for him on this club going forward, but it’s going to require us modifying potentially how that bullpen is deployed.

“Alternatively, I know his name has been out there for a fair amount in trade rumors, so if there’s a possible fit out there, obviously it’s our responsibility to pursue it and we do feel we have a fairly strong ‘pen as it is built around the other guys right now, so we’ll just have to wait and see how that unfolds over the coming months.”

4. Is this team a current title contender?

The White Sox enter the ’22 campaign as the odds-on favorite to repeat as AL Central champions, which would mark the franchise’s first back-to-back division titles following its first back-to-back playoff appearances. They also are considered one of the AL favorites, benefitting from playoff experience gained during a three-game loss to Oakland in the ’20 Wild Card round and a four-game loss to Houston in the ’21 Division Series.

A few moves still need to be made if the White Sox want to be in the best position for that first World Series title since ’05, although those moves don’t all have to come before the season. But a very talented and complete squad should improve by staying healthy in ‘22 compared to an injury-laden ’21 campaign.