The Chicago White Sox endured a rather disappointing season in 2022, finishing .500 and falling short of the postseason.
There were many reasons the White Sox failed last season.
The team never found consistency and ultimately ended up being buried in the American League Central division by the Cleveland Guardians, who ran away with the division title.
Chicago finished 11 games behind the Guardians in the Central.
The South Siders did sign Andrew Benintendi this offseason to bolster their offense and hired a new manager in Pedro Grifol.
On MLB Network, several analysts discussed what needs to be done in order for the White Sox to bounce back in 2023.
where will the #WhiteSox finish in the AL Central? pic.twitter.com/MsH6z4lpqZ
—MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 8, 2023
At the start of the video in the tweet, the White Sox’s defensive rankings from 2022 can be seen.
They were 24th in Outs Above Average, 27th in Defensive Runs Saved, 28th in Fielding Percentage, and 29th in Unearned Runs, which was second most behind their crosstown rivals, the Chicago Cubs.
On the offensive side, health is the key.
Several key players missed significant time due to injuries in 2022.
Tim Anderson was limited to just 123 games, while catcher Yasmani Grandal only appeared in 98 games.
Yoan Moncada, Luis Robert, and Eloy Jimenez also missed significant time.
Combined, the five stars posted at 4.4 WAR in 2022 after posting at 16.7 WAR in 2021.
Jimenez was talked about as an X-factor of sorts for the White Sox, as his numbers were shown on the screen.
There was a stark contrast between what he did in the first half and what he managed to do in the second half.
He was much more productive in the second half after returning from his injury.
Several things will need to change for the White Sox to contend again in 2023.
