Your 2022 Chicago White Sox, after going 46-46 in the first half, went 35-35 in the second half to finish the season at a completely mediocre 81-81. The team underachieved as a unit in every sense of the word and will enter the offseason looking to save their contention window from coming to an early close.
Before we get there, however, let’s take a look back at the 2022 season and hand out some grades for individual players and the team as a whole. All 44 players who appeared for the White Sox this season are included in the individual grades.
Roughly, here is the grading scale:
A: Consistently exceeded expectations and delivered results
B: Met and sometimes exceeded expectations
C: Met expectations
D: Often failed to meet expectations
F: Completely failed to meet expectations
With that, let’s hand out some grades.
Team Grades
White Sox Coaching Staff: D
Midseason Grade: D
After earning a near-failing grade in the first half, things didn’t get any better for the coaching staff in the second half. In particular, things didn’t get any better for Tony La Russa, who completed a second 1-2 intentional walk as one of the highlights of his second half. He had to miss the last month of the season due to health concerns that were the cause of his retirement, and despite a quick 13-6 start under interim manager Miguel Cairo, the White Sox were already in too deep to fix their issues. However, the longer Cairo managed, the more it became clear that La Russa could be held responsible for the accountability problem that the team had throughout the season. If you’re looking for proof of that, it came from Miguel Cairo himself.
Entering the 2023 season with a new manager, the White Sox don’t have many coaches who warrant consideration of being kept under a new regime, save for Ethan Katz due to his work with two Cy Young candidates this year (Carlos Rodon and Dylan Cease). Given what has been written about Tony La Russa’s “authoritarian” managerial style, it’s not necessarily fair to judge every coach based on this season alone. However, a new regime change that includes new faces replacing those that have been here for years would be a welcome sight for Sox fans who are hoping this team brings in some new, modern ideas on how to operate a baseball team in the dugout.
White Sox Offense: F
Midseason Grade: D
Compare the White Sox offense in 2021 and 2022, and here’s what you get:
| AVG | OBP | SLG | wOBA | wRC+ | HR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | .256 | .336 | .422 | .329 | 108 | 190 |
| 2022 | .256 | .310 | .387 | .306 | 99 | 149 |
In totality, it was a drastic step back from last season, a total failure from an expectations standpoint, and overall, did not show any signs of being a modern offense, save for a two-week stretch once La Russa left due to medical reasons. The telltale sign is the fact that both teams had the same batting average, but did much less damage – to put it kindly – this season. Andrew Vaughn serving as the team’s home run leader sounds great until you realize he only hit 17 home runs.
If the White Sox are going to compete in 2023, they’re going to need to find their offensive identity, and it’s going to need to include more home runs.
White Sox Starting Pitching: C
Midseason Grade: C
Here is where the White Sox starters ranked over the course of the season:
- IP: 12th
- K/9: 13th
- BB/9: 23rd
- fWAR: 15th
- ERA: 15th
So, the completely average C grade makes a lot of sense. The good definitely outweighs the bad here, however, as Dylan Cease was a Cy Young candidate, Lance Lynn bounced back after early season knee issues, Johnny Cueto experienced a career resurgence, and Davis Martin billed himself as a candidate for a rotation spot in 2023. However, Lucas Giolito’s struggles and Michael Kopech’s injury issues prevented this team from reaching their ceiling as a staff, though they were far from the floor as a whole as well.
A rotation featuring Cease, a healthy Lynn, a healthy Kopech, and an improved Giolito is a great start for 2023. It has a lot of “ifs” associated with it, but it’s far from the biggest problem on this team.
White Sox Relief Pitching: B+
Midseason Grade: B
Players like Liam Hendriks, Kendall Graveman, and Reynaldo Lopez were solid all season in a bullpen that was good but not great when you consider their price tag. Jimmy Lambert appears to be a weapon of the future for this club, and healthy versions of Aaron Bummer and Joe Kelly likely make this bullpen even better next season. Having Garrett Crochet will likely bring fewer opportunities to Tanner Banks, Jose Ruiz, Bennett Sousa, and even Jake Diekman, though no one will likely complain about that any time soon.
The White Sox bullpen, at the end of the day, finished 8th in fWAR. They earned their B+.
Player Grades
Dylan Cease (14-8, 2.20 ERA, 3.10 FIP, 30.4 K%, 4.4 fWAR): A
Midseason Grade: A
In a year when it became tough to watch the White Sox towards the end, Dylan Cease kept us tuning in every fifth day. He will likely finish second in the AL Cy Young Voting, being overtaken by just an outrageous sub-2.00 ERA season from Justin Verlander at the age of 39. That being said, Cease kept his own sub-2.00 ERA chase going until his final start against San Diego, and while the last one didn’t go as planned, he has plenty to build on heading into 2023.
An oft-underappreciated part of Cease’s game? For the second consecutive season, he’s made all 32 of his starts. The best ability is availability, and this “A” is well-earned.
Liam Hendriks (4-4, 2.81 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 36.2 K%, 1.6 fWAR) : A
Midseason Grade: A
Though his battle with injuries prevented him from being anything more than a one-inning reliever down the stretch, Hendriks still found a way to be worth his contract with the White Sox. Though he did throw 14 fewer innings this season, his 56.2 innings were still incredibly effective with no loss in the velocity department.
Hopefully, with better health next season, Hendriks can return to his fullest form – though, at age 34, it’s fair to question whether or not that will be possible. Either way, Hendriks has shown no signs of decline and has been well worth the expense.
Reynaldo Lopez (6-4, 2.76 ERA, 1.93 FIP, 24.8 K%, 2.0 fWAR): A
Midseason Grade: A
Reynaldo Lopez quietly put together the best season of any of the White Sox’ relievers, working primarily as a one-inning reliever in the later innings. His ability to handle high-leverage situations has led White Sox fans to ask whether or not he could be the next closer for the White Sox, though he does head into 2023 on the final year of his rookie contract.
One area of growth for Lopez could be converting into a multi-inning reliever, and based on his history as a starter, it’s a wonder why this hasn’t already been explored. Perhaps this was at Tony La Russa’s directive, but it will be interesting to see how next year’s coaching staff handles Lopez’s usage – he has the potential to be a Liam Hendriks-type 70 IP high-leverage pitcher.
Johnny Cueto (8-10, 3.35 ERA, 3.80 FIP, 15.7 K%, 2.4 fWAR): A
What a season for Johnny Cueto in his age 36 season – he experienced a late-career resurgence that likely earned him another contract. His 3.35 ERA and 3.80 FIP were incredibly similar for a pitcher with just a 15.7 K%. His ability to be the truest form of a pitcher was a pleasure to watch all season, and he served as a leader in the dugout multiple times by calling out the team’s desire and energy – despite what La Russa may believe about how he handled it.
He did fade a little bit down the stretch, posting a 5.67 ERA in his final seven starts, but Cueto’s importance to this team cannot be understated. It will be interesting to see if the White Sox decide to bring Cueto back – he has previously stated he would like to pitch for a few more seasons.
Elvis Andrus (.271/.309/.464, 9 HR, 28 RBI, 119 wRC+, 2.0 fWAR): A
Midseason Grade: N/A
At one point, it looked as if Elvis Andrus was going to single-handedly will this team to the playoffs. While he faded a bit down the stretch with an 0-for-21 slump, Andrus brought much-needed energy and life to the team when they sorely needed it. Andrus has expressed a desire to return to the White Sox next season, though it would likely be as their second baseman if it were to happen. Still, for Andrus to put up 2.0 fWAR in just 43 games with the White Sox is impressive enough to warrant one of the highest grades on this team for the season.
Danny Mendick (.289/.343/.443, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 126 wRC+, 0.8 fWAR): A-
Midseason Grade: A-
Mendick didn’t play in the second half due to his ACL injury, but he was a huge part of filling in for the first of Tim Anderson’s two extended absences from the lineup. He will provide excellent depth upon his return – which we all hope is sooner rather than later.
Davis Martin (3-6, 4.83 ERA, 4.28 FIP, 17.8 K%, 0.6 fWAR): A-
Midseason Grade: B
Davis Martin was rather spectacular throughout most of this season, and the only thing preventing him from a mid-3s ERA was a blowup start in the final game of the season against Minnesota. Martin has made himself a viable option for the White Sox next season after not even receiving an invite to Spring Training this season. He’s a win for the development staff with a slider that got Dylan Cease-like results this season.
Jose Abreu (.304/.378/.446, 15 HR, 75 RBI, 137 wRC+, 3.9 fWAR): A-
Midseason Grade: A
Abreu’s end-of-season grade is mostly propped up by his first-half statistics. After posting a .857 OPS in the first half, Abreu’s .780 OPS left a lot to be desired, as did the fact that he only hit one home run in September and two in August. Some of this loss of power may be attributable to any leg injuries he may have been playing through – as Abreu was one to hobble around once and a while in the second half. However, you can’t really call into question his desire to be in the lineup and produce however he can.
All signs point to this being the end of Abreu’s tenure on the South Side, and if it is, Abreu gave the White Sox and their fans everything he had left in the tank this season. It will be wild to see him play his age-36 season elsewhere if that’s what it comes to.
Kendall Graveman (3-4, 3.18 ERA, 3.42 FIP, 23.2 K%, 0.7 fWAR): B+
Midseason Grade: A-
After a really sharp first half, Graveman faded a bit in the second half with a 4.81 ERA. However, in terms of overall performance, batters didn’t do all that much better against him in the second half:
- First Half: .259/.312/.373, .299 wOBA, 22.5 K%, 7.5 BB%
- Second Half: .253/.357/.347, .316 wOBA, 24.1 K%, 11.6 BB%
The walks came back to hurt him a lot more, calling back to his blown save in Colorado in which he filled in as the closer for Liam Hendriks and proceeded to walk the bases loaded. Graveman will enter 2023 in the second year of three as the White Sox’ setup man, and can more likely than not serve as a closer in a pinch. He’s the type of $8M reliever contract that you’re usually okay with paying.
Eloy Jimenez (.295/.358/.500, 16 HR, 54 RBI, 144 wRC+, 1.7 fWAR): B+
Midseason Grade: D
Jimenez’s .948 OPS in the second half was the sixth-highest in baseball in that span, more than salvaging a season that was nearly lost due to injury once again for Jimenez. With injury almost necessitating that Jimenez serve as the team’s Designated Hitter in the second half, hopefully, Jimenez can now see how productive he can be when he stays out of the outfield. While only playing 84 games once again limits how much damage Jimenez can do and prevented him from reaching “A” territory, we’ve once again seen the results as to how good he can be. Keep him at DH full-time, and hopefully, we can see Jimenez’s first 100-game season since 2019.
Jake Burger (.250/.302/.458, 8 HR, 26 RBI, 114 wRC+, 0.3 fWAR): B+
Midseason Grade: B+
Burger didn’t appear in a game in the second half for the White Sox, and he did struggle with injuries down on the farm after Moncada returned to the lineup. He remains a clear major-league hitter on a team that is still unable to find a spot for him. Perhaps the longer tryout he got in the first half this season will convince a team that he is valuable enough to trade for to fill a hole. Otherwise, he will remain a valuable depth piece for the White Sox.
Seby Zavala (.270/.347/.382, 2 HR, 21 RBI, 111 wRC+, 1.9 fWAR): B
Midseason Grade: B
Zavala’s numbers regressed more to an expected level (.684 OPS) in the second half, but still, an almost 2.0 fWAR season from a backup catcher is nothing to scoff at. The White Sox would likely be better off finding a stronger pairing to go with Yasmani Grandal for next season, but if they can’t, Zavala enters as the de facto backup catcher on this roster. As a great pitch framer and an improved bat, the team could do much worse than Zavala.
Aaron Bummer (2-1, 2.36 ERA, 319 FIP, 25.6 K%, 0.3 fWAR): B
Midseason Grade: B
A lat injury that took most of the season to heal limited Bummer to 26.2 innings this season that were overall pretty effective. The left-hander will hope to put together a full healthy season at the back end of the bullpen; when he’s healthy, he’s one of the best in the league at what he does.
Jimmy Lambert (1-2, 3.26 ERA, 3.90 FIP, 22.1 K%, 0.3 fWAR): B
Midseason Grade: B
The conversion to a relief role has served Lambert well, giving him a tick-up in velocity and overall stuff. As a result, Lambert became a dependable middle relief option for Tony La Russa this year. The few times he saw true high-leverage situations were a bit rocky, and Lambert still has some growing to do. Regardless, the season he put together should make the White Sox more confident that they don’t need to spend on their bullpen heading into 2023 (please).
Josh Harrison (.256/.317/.370, 7 HR, 27 RBI, 98 wRC+, 1.4 fWAR): B
Midseason Grade: B-
Relative to general expectations and overall production at the position league-wide, it was a pretty solid year for Harrison. His second-half slash line of .285/.332/.374 was right around the lines of where we would’ve expected to see him based on career production, and his defense was phenomenal at points when the Sox needed it. His energy and life in the dugout and on the field were unmatched, and though the White Sox could do worse than him at 2B, it’s likely that his $5.6M option won’t be picked up by the team.
Andrew Vaughn (.271/.321/.429, 17 HR, 76 RBI, 113 wRC+, -0.4 fWAR): B-
Much like Jose Abreu, Vaughn’s end-of-season grade is largely propped up by a really strong first half. As the heir apparent to Abreu on the South Side, Vaughn is going to have to learn how to prevent himself from fizzling out in the second half of seasons:
- 2021 Second Half: .210/.294/.318, 72 wRC+ (.253/.320/.452, 108 wRC+ First Half)
- 2022 Second Half: .234/.285/.381, 89 wRC+ (.301/.350/.470, 133 wRC+ First Half)
Perhaps a stronger back half from Vaughn would’ve made White Sox fans themselves feel better about moving forward with Vaughn as the first baseman of the future. However, with Rick Hahn proclaiming the White Sox will likely need to shake things up and improve defensively, there’s no world in which Vaughn – as the worst outfielder in baseball – should reasonably play anywhere but 1B moving forward. Either that or the team should be exploring trades for him to be elsewhere next year.
Gavin Sheets (.241/.295/.411, 15 HR, 53 RBI, 100 wRC+, 0.1 fWAR): B-
Midseason Grade: C
Sheets’ .765 OPS, while leaving some to be desired, is much more palatable than his .600 OPS in the first half. This, combined with his .799 OPS against RHP in August/September, shows growth for Sheets after a pretty brutal first half. He continues to serve a role on this team as someone who mashes against RHP, though a move away from him and his -5 OAA in the outfield would be preferable.
Sheets will enter 2023, hopefully, as a great left-handed bat off the bench – the role that he is meant to serve and is valued on any major league team.
Michael Kopech (5-9, 3.54 ERA, 4.50 FIP, 21.3 K%, 1.0 fWAR): B-
Midseason Grade: B
Kopech’s season was cut short by injuries and innings limitations, but at a high level, nearly 120 innings from Kopech in his first season as a starter was a successful debut. The results left plenty to be desired, but when factoring in the injuries Kopech was dealing with and the surgery he undertook on his knee as the season ended, there’s a clearer reason why the results may have looked as they did this season. Look for Kopech to bounce back in 2023 and be a force in the rotation.
Lance Lynn (8-7, 3.99 ERA, 3.82 FIP, 24.2 K%, 1.9 fWAR): B-
Midseason Grade: D
Lynn had a lot of work to do in the second half to make up for his lost first half, and to his credit, he looked like the Lance Lynn of old down the stretch this season. He featured a 2.18 ERA over his last 10 starts that encompassed 62 innings. Lynn will head into his age-36 season appearing to have plenty left in the tank, though health remains a question mark because of the knee problems he has dealt with in his tenure. Still, he is a good bet to have another strong year in what could be his final one on the South Side.
Romy Gonzalez (.238/.257/.352, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 69 wRC+, 0.0 fWAR): C+
Midseason Grade: N/A
After battling through injuries for most of the minor league season, Gonzalez got an extended chance down the stretch for the White Sox as Miguel Cairo showed a propensity to devote playing time based on performance, not major league tenure. Though he wasn’t able to sustain his torrid initial stretch, he played excellent defense at second base and keeps himself in the conversation for a major league role heading into 2023.
Matt Foster (1-2, 4.40 ERA, 4.11 FIP, 21.8 K%, 0.2 fWAR): C+
Midseason Grade: B-
It was an overall fine season from Foster – nothing special like his 2020 season, but also an improvement from a pretty brutal 2021 campaign. Foster will likely continue to serve as bullpen depth for a team that doesn’t need to spend more money on the bullpen.
Tanner Banks (2-0, 3.06 ERA, 3.57 FIP, 22.6 K%, 0.3 fWAR): C+
Midseason Grade: C
Quietly, Banks was actually a pretty solid multi-inning reliever for the White Sox, though all of his work came in the form of either low or medium-leverage innings. But, sometimes that’s the role best suited for a player, and you can’t knock them for coming in and doing their job. Banks will continue to serve as organizational depth and has done enough in limited action to keep White Sox fans from being too upset by his appearances on a roster.
Lenyn Sosa (.114/.139/.229, 1 HR, 1 RBI, -4 wRC+): C
Midseason Grade: C
36 plate appearances aren’t a lot to judge a player off of, so Sosa gets an average grade as a result. He looked overmatched at times in the big leagues on a team that didn’t give him the necessary plate appearances to feel comfortable. This, combined with the fact that Sosa has struggled at first at all levels he’s played at, is the reason why no one should be reading into the small sample size here. However, given that he hit .296/.352/.469 with nine home runs in 247 AAA plate appearances, we will likely continue to have conversations about putting Sosa at 2B in 2023 with little else for him to prove at the minor league level.
Luis Robert (.284/.319/.426, 12 HR, 56 RBI, 111 wRC+, 2.1 fWAR): C
Midseason Grade: B+
Robert’s second-half numbers were cratered by the White Sox’ inexplicable decision to let him try and play through an obvious wrist injury that wasn’t getting any better. He hit just .216/.256/.284 in 78 second-half plate appearances, and White Sox fans could feel his pain as he swung one-handed. However, playing just 24 games in the second half is going to take a hit on your overall grade, because if you can’t stay healthy, you’re not of much use to the team.
Robert will likely bounce back in 2023 and repeat something close to his first-half performance, but still, even his .795 OPS before the All-Star Break left plenty to be desired for a player of his caliber.
Tim Anderson (.301/.339/.395, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 110 wRC+, 2.0 fWAR): C
Midseason Grade: B+
Despite being named an All-Star and the starting AL shortstop in the 2022 All-Star Game, it’s hard not to feel that this season was a disappointment for Anderson, relative to the standards that he had created for himself. He hit just .259/.283/.293 in the second half, played poor defense all season, and missed several months with a groin strain and wrist injury. Combined with some off-the-field rumors, it just wasn’t the same TA7 Sox fans had gotten used to this season.
That’s not to say that he can’t bounce back next season, nor does it mean he isn’t a crucial part of the team’s success. Rather, the way the White Sox were never able to catch fire speaks volumes about Anderson’s importance to the team and how much they will appreciate getting a healthy, revitalized TA back in the lineup next season.
Perhaps this grade is harsh, but it’s also a reflection of how high Anderson’s expectations have risen in recent seasons.
Kyle Crick (2-0, 4.02 ERA, 3.17 FIP, 28.8 K%, 0.1 fWAR): C
Midseason Grade: C+
Crick didn’t pitch in the second half due to an elbow injury, and overall, his 15.2 innings this season left plenty to be desired. Overall, it’s about what the White Sox would’ve expected to get from a reliever project that was never meant to have a high-leverage role. Crick can come back next season as a filler in the organization, though it’s more likely he will opt to find a major league job elsewhere.
Carlos Perez (.222/.222/.333, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 51 wRC+, -0.2 fWAR): C
Midseason Grade: N/A
In 18 plate appearances at the major league level, Perez didn’t have an opportunity to show much, and outside of a tough debut, he looked solid behind the plate. Perez will likely continue to serve as organizational depth but could find himself in the mix for the backup catcher job in Spring Training.
Jose Ruiz (1-0, 4.60 ERA, 4.43 FIP, 25.7 K%, -0.1 fWAR): C
Midseason Grade: C+
The king of low-leverage situations, things took a step back for Ruiz this season. His 60.2 innings speak to his durability and ability to cover blowout games in either direction, but his .478 wOBA in three high-leverage appearances speaks to the necessity for him to remain in his current role. His new emphasis on his changeup faded down the stretch, as did its effectiveness. Ruiz is projected to enter arbitration with the team this season, though he will continue to be viewed as a potential non-tender candidate on a roster that is carrying a little too much dead weight right now.
Reese McGuire (.225/.261/.285, 0 HR, 10 RBI, 54 wRC+, 0.4 fWAR): C
Midseason Grade: C
McGuire was passed over by Zavala as the backup catcher on the roster, and the White Sox decided to trade him to Boston for Jake Diekman at the trade deadline. Diekman proceeded to continue his Boston struggles in Chicago, while McGuire hit .337/.377/.500 in 108 plate appearances with Boston – though, the .411 BABIP calls into question just how much of that production is sustainable.
At the end of the day, while he was with the Sox, he served as a strong backup option with a cannon behind the plate. The team got what they were expecting from him – what they weren’t expecting was the rise of Zavala’s usefulness.
AJ Pollock (.227/.268/.333, 4 HR, 26 RBI, 71 wRC+, -0.6 fWAR) : C-
Midseason Grade: D
AJ Pollock actually had a rather strong second half (.265/.318/.449, 117 wRC+) that looked a lot more like what the White Sox were likely hoping to get from him when they traded for him back in March. However, given just how rough his first half was, overall, his season was nothing more than a few glimmers of hope here and there that combined to give him a reasonable enough season that still fell short of expectations.
It’s unclear whether the second-half surge will be enough to convince Pollock to opt out and seek more money elsewhere, but if he doesn’t, the White Sox will have to hope that they get the second-half version of Pollock in 2023.
Adam Engel (.224/.269/.310, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 63 wRC+, -0.2 fWAR): C-
Midseason Grade: B-
The Adam Engel of previous seasons appears to be gone, and while he was healthy enough to play over 100 games for the first time since 2018 this season, his .346 OPS in the second half made him a rather non-factor at the plate. His defense remained well above average, save for the dropped pop-up that cost the White Sox a game in Baltimore. Overall, the regression with the bat has made Engel a glove-only option for the White Sox moving forward.
At this point, Engel can be viewed as a potential non-tender option with others in the organization that can fill the role he did this season.
Joe Kelly (1-3, 6.08 ERA, 3.06 FIP, 31.2 K%, 0.5 fWAR): C-
Midseason Grade: D
Rarely have I seen such a drastic difference between a player’s ERA and FIP, but that’s the Joe Kelly experience. To his credit, He posted a 4.87 ERA and .298 wOBA against in the second half, which aren’t stellar but are definite signs in the right direction. It remains to be seen if the White Sox will keep Kelly heading into next season or look to dump his $9M salary elsewhere, but should they keep him, a large jump in strikeout rate (27.7% to 34.5%) and a decrease in walk rate (15.7% to 11.5%) from the first half to the second half should make fans feel a bit better heading into what will hopefully be a healthy season for Kelly.
Vince Velasquez (3-3, 4.78 ERA, 4.25 FIP, 21.6 K%, 0.4 fWAR): C-
Midseason Grade: D
I think this tweet describes the Vince Velasquez season more perfectly than I ever could.
Lucas Giolito (11-9, 4.90 ERA, 4.06 FIP, 25.4 K%, 1.8 fWAR): D
Midseason Grade: C
An offseason of weight/muscle gain turned out to be the kryptonite for Giolito this season, and he heads into the final year of arbitration with a lot of work to do after a lost season. He likely cost himself a lot of money in terms of a long-term extension or long-term deal with another team, and he will instead need to focus his offseason on rediscovering the explosiveness that made him so effective from 2019-2021.
I wouldn’t bet against Giolito in this area either, and I expect him to look much more like the 2019-2021 version of himself heading into 2023. The Sox would be foolish to consider trading Giolito at the low point of his overall value as a team with aspirations for winning in 2023. The ceiling and floor are both incredibly high and low here, respectively, and it will be up to Giolito to figure out which he will be at moving forward.
Yoan Moncada (.212/.273/.353, 12 HR, 51 RBI, 76 wRC+, 0.9 fWAR): D
Midseason Grade: C-
Moncada’s defense couldn’t make up for what was a brutal offensive year at the plate. With both Grandal and Moncada struggling mightily this season, the White Sox had very few answers against RHP this season via lefty bats. His second half was better in the power department, but overall, Moncada will have a lot of work to do this offseason to be worth his quickly increasing salary.
Bennett Sousa (3-0, 8.41 ERA, 5.47 FIP, 12.5 K%, -0.3 fWAR) : D
Midseason Grade: D
Sousa did not appear in the second half. We’ll always have the first 1-2 intentional walk…
Anderson Severino (0-0, 6.14 ERA, 3.11 FIP, 26.5 K%, 0.0 fWAR): D
Midseason Grade: D
Anderson also did not appear in the second half, and likely find himself one of the first to fall off the 40-man roster if a spot is needed after a pretty rough minor league season as well.
Yasmani Grandal (.202/.301/.269, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 68 wRC+, -0.4 fWAR): F
Midseason Grade: D
Much like fellow lefty Yoan Moncada, this was a lost season for Grandal. The main features were a complete lack of power and plenty of knee injuries that prevented him from getting on any extended run. The White Sox will likely have him behind the plate to start the 2023 season, and Grandal has expressed that he is ready to begin an offseason plan that isn’t held back by rehab. It’s fair to question if the soon-to-be 34-year-old catcher will be able to recapture what he had over the past few seasons, but this is what the back half of bigger free-agent contracts look like at times. I would expect Grandal to experience some sort of bounce back – plus, it’s hard to get worse than this season.
Ryan Burr (1-1, 6.00 ERA, 7.22 FIP, 17.9 K%, -0.3 fWAR): F
Midseason Grade: F
Burr did not appear in the second half due to Tommy John Surgery. We wish him all the best in his recovery, especially because he is too good to be this low on the grading scale.
Adam Haseley (.238/.333/.238, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 73 wRC+, 0.0 fWAR): F
Midseason Grade: F
Haseley had just two plate appearances in the second half, and the outfielder did little to show he was worthy of a 40-man roster spot in 2022. He can continue to serve as depth on this team – or any other – but opportunities beyond that will likely be rather limited.
Dallas Keuchel (2-9, 9.20 ERA, 5.52 FIP, 14.9 K%, -0.3 fWAR): F
Midseason Grade: F
After struggling with the White Sox, Diamondbacks, and Rangers this season, it might be the end of the line for Keuchel.
Leury Garcia (.210/.233/.267, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 39 wRC+, -1.1 fWAR): F
Midseason Grade: F
Miguel Cairo appeared to have ingratiated himself to White Sox fans when he didn’t put Leury Garcia in a single lineup for over two weeks to end the season – though, we would later find out that was in part due to some injuries Garcia was battling.
At the end of the day, it’s not Garcia’s fault that he received 315 plate appearances this season. But, considering the fact that among all players with at least 300 plate appearances, he had the lowest wRC+ in all of baseball, the failing grade is pretty deserved here. With Danny Mendick, Josh Harrison, Lenyn Sosa, and Romy Gonzalez all proving – at different points – to be more than capable of handling multiple positions at a high level, questions surrounding the choice to give Garcia a three-year deal will likely persist until the final out of year three.
Jake Diekman (0-3, 6.52 ERA, 5.08 FIP, 28.6 K%, -0.1 fWAR): F
Midseason Grade: N/A
The only Trade Deadline acquisition for the White Sox was an abject failure, despite the relatively low acquisition cost. Diekman still has one year left on his deal, so he could conceivably bounce back next season. But, until he does, he’ll be remembered as the reliever whose five-run inning put the final nail in the coffin of the White Sox’ 2022 season.
In a season that featured a lot more bad than good, a lot of players’ grades saw a drop off in the second half.
Overall, in a failed season, it’s hard to feel too good about much that happened this season. But, with most of the team under contract and returning next season, improved health and a new coaching staff could bring back the level of performance that most of this roster is used to based on previous seasons. In many ways, it almost has to bring this roster back to normal, as the window’s first stretch comes to an end after 2023.
What did you think of the player grades? Too harsh/too light? Let us know in the comments!
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I think your comments are fair, but you did not grade the front office, in particular Rick/Kenny.
The commentary on Harrison and Pollock seemed to forget both players spent their entire careers in the National League meaning they were going to struggle against pitchers they never previously batted against. This happened as both had bad first halves. Pollock was better than his 10-year career average of 10 homers and 40 RBI per season with the White Sox.