productive offseason, the Chicago White Sox look poised to become the best professional sports team the city of Chicago has had for a long time. After losing a hard fought playoff series last season, the Sox made major moves during the offseason, firing coach Rick Renteria and hiring proven winner Tony la Russa, architect of the 2011 world champion St. Louis Cardinals. In addition, the Sox improved their starting rotation, adding a dynamic arm in Lance Lynn from the Texas Rangers. Looking at the offense, the White Sox had a good one last season, with veteran Jose Abreu leading the American League in RBI’s, as well as Tim Anderson coming close to an AL batting title, batting over .330. Veteran contributions, as well as continued development from young superstars Nick Madrigal and Luis Robert, make the Sox one of the major contenders to win the World Series this season.
The ascent we have seen from the Sox comes years in the making, as prior to the 2020 season, the team suffered a playoff drought of twelve years, as time and time again signings of older players simply did not pan out. After the 2016 season; however, the Sox cleaned house, revamping their farm system to become one of the best in baseball. This risky move also included the trading of starter Jose Quintana to the Chicago Cubs for two of their best prospects, Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease. Now, with a solid manager coupled with young talent and veteran leadership, the Sox have the potential to win their first World Series since 2005. With Spring Training already underway, only a short time remains before we see if the Sox reboot spanning five years was all hype or a worthwhile investment.
Riley Dulin - Staff Writer