After sweeping Sunday’s doubleheader in the Bronx, the White Sox return home to take on the Red Sox and Cubs this week. Before the action gets underway, let’s see where the team stands at the quarter mark in the various power rankings.
MLB.com: 13
Previous Ranking: 13
Voters: Alyson Footer, Anthony Castrovince, Paul Casella, Mark Feinsand, Nathalie Alonso, Mike Petriello, Sarah Langs, Andrew Simon, David Venn, Doug Gausepohl
Released on Sunday, May 22nd.
CBS Sports: 13
Previous Ranking: 17 (+4)
What a great response on Sunday night, Tim Anderson. Nice work.
via Matt Snyder
Released on Monday, May 23rd.
The Athletic: 14
Previous Ranking: 13 (-1)
Conducted by Fabian Ardaya and Steve Berman. If you’re a subscriber of The Athletic, click here for more.
Released on Monday, May 23rd.
Bleacher Report: 13
Previous Ranking: 15 (+2)
The White Sox went 5-3 on the road last week, including winning both games of a double-header with the New York Yankees on Sunday. Michael Kopech threw seven scoreless innings of one-hit ball in the nightcap, lowering his ERA to 1.29 on the year as he continues to be one of the bigges breakout stars of the 2022 season. A red-hot Boston Red Sox team and the crosstown rival Chicago Cubs await this coming week.
via Joel Reuter
Released on Tuesday, May 24th.
ESPN: 14
Previous Ranking: 14
Maintaining depth figured to be a big challenge for a star-studded White Sox rotation that projected to be one of the AL’s top units. In reality, the starters have been more solid than outstanding as a group but, then again, front-of-the-rotation righty Lance Lynn has been on the disabled list all season. The rotation received a potential boost on the depth front last week when veteran Johnny Cueto, a late offseason signee, shined in his season debut against Kansas City, holding the Royals scoreless on two hits over six innings. It’s just one game and Cueto has been quite hittable the past couple of seasons, but if he can keep rolling, that would give Chicago four starters who have finished in the top 10 of Cy Young balloting at some point. And that list doesn’t include breakout young righties Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech.
via Sean Doolittle
Released on Thursday, May 19th.
USA Today: 13
Previous Ranking: 13
Johnny Cueto’s first two starts: 12 IP, 0.00 ERA,12 strikeouts.
via Jesse Yomtov
Released on Monday, May 23rd.
The Ringer: 12
Previous Ranking: N/A
If the Twins should be thrilled that they’re 4.5 games up on Chicago, the White Sox should be relieved they’re only four games behind given how much has gone wrong so far this season. Injuries to Lance Lynn, Garrett Crochet, Eloy Jiménez, Yoán Moncada, and A.J. Pollock have tested this team’s depth, and of the 14 White Sox hitters with at least 30 plate appearances, only three have an OPS+ higher than 95.
That’s to say nothing of the bullpen, which has been pretty bad this year: 24th in ERA-, 19th in WPA. Given how heavily Chicago invested in that part of the roster—Liam Hendriks, Kendall Graveman, and Joe Kelly are making $29.33 million this year between them—that performance just won’t cut it.
via Michael Baumann
Released on Monday, May 23rd.
Sports Illustrated: 13
Previous Ranking: 15 (+2)
Tim Anderson’s kiss-off to Yankee Stadium after his eventful weekend in the Bronx was well earned. The White Sox shortstop is on pace for his second AL batting crown with a .359 batting average and also ranks 12th in the majors with a .917 OPS, which would measure as a career-high mark if he can sustain it.
via Will Laws
Released on Monday, May 23rd.
NBC Sports Edge: 12
Previous Ranking: 13 (+2)
Back above the .500 mark, the White Sox took two of three from the Yankees over the weekend, including a doubleheader sweep on Sunday in which Johnny Cueto and Michael Kopech both made spotless starts. Cueto kept New York off the board for six innings in the early tilt and is up to 12 shutout frames since debuting for Chicago last Monday. Kopech yielded just one hit across seven scoreless innings in the nightcap while lowering his season ERA to a stingy 1.29 through eight rotation turns.
via Drew Silva
Released on Tuesday, May 24th.
FanSided: 13
Previous Ranking: N/A
The Chicago White Sox are a good baseball team playing bad baseball. Some poor health has detoured their route to a playoff spot. Some cold bats up and down the lineup have contributed greatly as to why they aren’t in the top ten—a place they belong based on the Opening Day roster.
Some recent beatings from good teams shouldn’t get them down too much. Perhaps the Tim Anderson situation with Josh Donaldson can rally them together. Moments like that can bring a team together. Pay close attention to see if it triggers them in the right way.
via Tim Boyle
Released on Monday, May 23rd.
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