Following today’s series win against Minnesota, the White Sox watched as the Indians dropped both games of their doubleheader to the Rays. That means Tony La Russa‘s club has a casual eight-game lead in the division despite losing nearly half of their starting lineup due to injuries.
Here’s a complete overview of where the AL Central’s top team landed in this week’s power rankings:
MLB.com: 7
Voters: Alyson Footer, Anthony Castrovince, Jesse Sanchez, Mark Feinsand, Nathalie Alonso, Mike Petriello, Sarah Langs, Andrew Simon, and David Venn.
Previous Ranking: 7
Released on Tuesday, July 6th.
CBS Sports: 7
Previous Ranking: 8 (+1)
“Former first-round pick Jake Burger hadn’t played since 2017 due to injuries — most notably a ruptured Achilles tendon — and he’s now 4 for 11 with a double and triple in his first three MLB games. Save the hamburger puns. This is a legitimately feel-good story.”
Released on Monday, July 5th.
The Athletic: 7
Previous Ranking: 7
Conducted by James Fegan and Tim Britton. If you’re a subscriber of The Athletic, click here for further reasoning.
Released on Monday, June 5th.
Bleacher Report: 7
Previous Ranking: 8 (+1)
“Despite their impressive overall record, the White Sox are a sub-.500 team away from home. They had gone 2-8 in their last 10 games on the road entering play on Tuesday, which is worth keeping an eye on as the season progresses. Brian Goodwin (78 PA, 135 OPS+, 10 XBH) and Gavin Sheets (28 PA, 180 OPS+, 5 XBH) deserve huge props for the spark they’ve provided to a banged-up lineup.”
Released on Wednesday, July 7th.
ESPN: 7
Previous Ranking: 4 (-3)
“With injuries mounting for the White Sox, the trade rumor mill has been buzzing, with Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Eduardo Escobar one name linked to Chicago. Escobar’s defensive metrics as a second baseman over the course of his career are better than his overall fielding results, but he’s no Ryne Sandberg at the keystone. At the plate, Escobar is a low-contract, semi-patient power threat who has generally produced with players on base over his career. The problem is that the White Sox, as currently constructed, might need someone who is more proficient at finding his way onto the bases than he is at clearing them.” – Doolittle
Released on Thursday, July 1st.
Sports Illustrated: 5
Previous Ranking: 6 (+1)
“The White Sox are the class of the AL Central, with a pitching staff that trumps virtually all others in terms of elite arms at the top and quality of depth. Chicago’s run prevention has compensated for a good-but-not-great offense that’s withstood injuries (Luis Robert and Eloy Jiménez) and down seasons from key players (reigning AL MVP José Abreu and Adam Eaton). A possible cause for concern is that the White Sox have fattened up on the league’s bottom-feeders: Chicago has the best winning percentage (.740) in the AL against teams with losing records, yet is just 16–24 against teams .500 or better.”
Released on Monday, July 5th.
NBC Sports Edge: 7
Previous Ranking: 7
“White Sox starters have been so solid in the first half, so it seemed fitting to select a pitcher as the South Side’s MVP. The southpaw has been a mighty pleasant surprise for the White Sox, considering after battling injuries, he was non-tendered in the offseason and later offered a one year deal. Rodón is 6-3 with a 2.37 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 14 starts, including his no-hitter against Detroit earlier this year. He’s third in the AL in ERA and WHIP (0.94) and fourth in strikeouts.Lance Lynn and Yoan Moncada were also worthy of consideration.”
Released on Tuesday, July 6th.
Coming up, the White Sox will travel to Baltimore for one more series before the All-Star break. Follow us on social media @SoxOn35th for updates, and stay tuned for another round of power rankings next week!
Featured Photo: White Sox/Twitter
