Taking stock, post-deadline
The White Sox elected not to make any moves before Monday's trade deadline. The silence on deadline day came after a week that featured a number of rumors and big names being linked to the Sox. GM Rick Hahn spoke of his commitment to the plan that he has had all along: The team will not sacrifice the long term for short term success.
At 22-14 and tied for first place in the AL Central, the team seems poised to make the first of what appears to be many playoff appearances. But some see this team as ready to take the big step and win the 0pennant, or even the World Series.
A quick glance at the numbers suggests that the White Sox are in fact ready to be the class of the American League.
The White Sox entered September with a +45 run differential, placing them second in all of baseball behind only the MLB-leading Dodgers. This is not only a testimony to how explosive the offense has been, but to how tough the pitching has been as well.
Offensively, there wasn't much the team could have been looking for at the deadline. The offense has been worth 9.2 WAR this season, only 0.2 behind the league-leading Padres, and nearly three wins higher than the Dodgers, who rest in third.
The lineup's .485 slugging percentage places them second in baseball as well. It's not exactly a secret that the lineup can hit the cover off of the ball.
José Abreu has been playing at an MVP level for weeks, and Luis Robert entered the conversation with his performance against Minnesota on Monday.
The quick emergence of Robert has been a massive development for the White Sox. It was expected that the 23-year-old would need some time to adjust to major league pitching, but so far he has looked like the type of player that would actually make the pain of the Fernando Tatís Jr. trade fade for some.
Contributions from Eloy Jiménez, Tim Anderson, Yasmani Grandal, James McCann, and recently Nick Madrigal have rounded the lineup into one of baseball's finest. Yoán Moncada has missed some time resting sore legs that have bothered him for most of the year, but when healthy adds another dynamic to the lineup.
While maybe not expected to be this good, the White Sox lineup mashing the ball was expected. What perhaps wasn't as expected, was the emergence of the pitching.
Lucas Giolito has pitched like an ace, and Dallas Keuchel has looked like one of the finest free-agent signings in White Sox memory. After Giolito and Kuchel, however, the rotation becomes less sure.
Dylan Cease still struggles to consistently command the ball, Reynaldo López and Gio González have struggled to stay healthy, and have not been consistent when healthy.
That being said, Dane Dunning has two impressive starts, and all indications from the organization are that he has solidified a spot in the rotation. Dunning's starts have come against the Tigers and Royals, and he still does not have 10 innings pitched in the big leagues, but his poise and control in his first two starts lead some to believe he can hold down that third spot in the rotation.
Still, Dunning is far from a sure thing. There was a reason the team was looking closely at all options for starting pitchers. Beyond Dunning, there is no one in the organization ready to take that rotation spot, particularly against a team like the New York Yankees in the playoffs.
As far as contention goes in 2020, the team would have been best served to add a starting pitcher like Lance Lynn or Mike Clevinger. But Hahn has been steadfast in his commitment to long-term success, and involving a piece like Dunning or Andrew Vaughn for a more established pitcher certainly would have gone against his track record.
The relievers have been another pleasant surprise for the team. The bullpen has quietly emerged as a Top 10 unit in baseball. Their 4.02 ERA places them 10th in the league — but even more importantly, they don't give up free bases. The bullpen's 3.29 BB/9 is eighth in baseball, which is a key factor for a relief pitching staff.
Matt Foster, Codi Heuer, Ross Detwiler, and Evan Marshall have combined to form a reliable bullpen that has also seen contributions from Jace Fry, Zack Burdi, and others.
With Aaron Bummer's status up in the air, and not looking immediately optimistic, the team was looking for options to solidify their bullpen. It will need to be seen if this young group of pitchers can maintain their high level of play when the pressure's on.
The White Sox enter September in first place and with plenty of young pieces still down the pipeline. Madrigal recently returned from his separated shoulder and has hit everything as advertised. Vaughn is in Schaumburg, awaiting an opportunity that may be coming soon.
So ultimately, when you look around the White Sox right now and evaluate where they stand, for most fans it's a best-case scenario for 2020. There were moves that could have been made to increase the odds of winning in 2020, but the team will wait and see.
That's been the plan all along, and it just might be working.