Which non-playoff teams can become contenders in 2020?
MLB Teams to Watch
Chicago White Sox
It has been a long time since the Chicago White Sox have been competitive. The last time they made the playoffs was in 2008, and it has been a long rebuild process. Last season, they fell short once again, posting a 72-89 record.
However, for the first time in a long time, there is reason to be excited about what’s next for the White Sox. They proved they were ready to spend big money last offseason in their aggressive pursuit of Manny Machado. While they failed to sign Machado, the young guys within their organization stepped up to put them in a position to turn heads next year.
The White Sox have done an incredible job flipping their former star players for young talent. Since 2017, they have managed to trade away their core of Chris Sale, Adam Eaton, and Jose Quintana. In those trades, they acquired the likes of Lucas Giolito, Michael Kopech, Yoan Moncada, and Eloy Jimenez to form a new, revamped young core.
The Good
In 2019, the moves they made during their rebuild began to pay off, creating a lot of excitement for the future. First, Lucas Giolito had a breakout MLB season. In 29 starts, he posted a 3.41 ERA with 228 strikeouts, as well as 3 complete games. He earned his first all-star game nod in 2019 and will look to carry over his success to next year as the team’s ace.
Yoan Moncada lived up to his potential in his second full season in the majors, hitting .315/.367/.548 with 25 home runs and 78 RBIs. He made the transition from second base to third, opening up second for Yolmer Sánchez, who won his first career gold glove. Eloy Jimenez somehow flew under the radar, putting together a fantastic rookie season that featured 31 home runs and 79 RBIs.
The offseason acquisitions made a big impact as well. Catcher James McCann had the best offensive season of his career in his first season with the team, where he earned his first career all-star selection. Alex Colomé had an impressive season as the White Sox closer, posting a 2.80 ERA with 30 saves.
However, no one made a bigger turnaround than Tim Anderson. The 26-year-old shortstop had a breakout campaign, leading the league in batting with a .335 average. He also had 18 home runs and 17 stolen bases. The core of Moncada, Anderson, and Jimenez gives the top of their lineup plenty of talent, with the potential to improve even more next year.
Where they need improvement
While their lineup showed potential in 2019, they still substantially lacked power. They ranked 25th in the league in home runs with 182, and 24th in total runs with 708, according to ESPN. That problem can become a lot worse if they lose their biggest run producer, José Abreu, to free agency. Abreu led the American League in RBIs with 123 in 2019 and paced the White Sox with 33 home runs. It is expected that Abreu will resign with Chicago, but the Sox need another middle-of-the-order power hitter in order to take their offense to the next level.
The X-Factor
The White Sox saw Lucas Giolito live up to his potential and become an ace. Now, they need the rest of their young rotation to follow suit. Reynaldo López had a wildly inconsistent season but showed flashes of becoming a quality, middle-of-the-rotation arm. Dylan Cease, another young talent acquired in the Jose Quintana trade, has immense potential as well. However, coming into next MLB season, all eyes will be on Michael Kopech. Kopech dominated his way through the minor leagues and created a lot of hype along the way. When he finally made it to the majors in 2018, his breakout party was cut immensely short by Tommy John Surgery after just four starts. He sat out all of 2019 but is poised for a comeback in 2020. If he can live up to his potential, he can change this White Sox team.