The Chicago White Sox are doing something nobody really saw coming this year. Two seasons after posting one of the worst records in modern baseball history, they’re sitting in first place in the AL Central with a 45-39 record. That 9-3 win over the Orioles in Baltimore? It snapped a brutal stretch where they had lost 17 of 18 to the same team. So yeah, this is real.
Manager Will Venable has this group playing with an edge. They’re not flashy. They’re just scrappy and they keep finding ways to win tight games. But here’s the thing about being a surprise contender in July — you either add pieces or you fade. The White Sox have a 2.0-game lead on Cleveland, and the Guardians aren’t going anywhere. So if Chicago wants to actually win the division instead of just being a nice story, they need to get aggressive before the trade deadline.
The offense is already dangerous
Colson Montgomery has been mashing. Twenty homers in 80 games, 47 RBI. His .221 average is ugly but nobody’s complaining when he keeps changing games with one swing. The bigger story is what happened to Munetaka Murakami, the Japanese import who was on an MVP track before a right hamstring strain derailed him. He had 20 homers and 41 RBI in 57 games. The hope is he’s back shortly after the All-Star break. If he returns at full strength, this lineup gets even scarier.
Meanwhile, third baseman Miguel Vargas has 19 homers and 52 RBI, and Andrew Benintendi has chipped in 10 dingers from the DH spot. The power is real. The problem isn’t hitting.
But the pitching needs serious help
The White Sox have been dominant at home but shaky on the road. You can’t win a division playing .500 ball away from your own park. Davis Martin (9-3, 3.00 ERA) and Sean Burke (5-4, 3.69 ERA) have been solid, but after those two, the rotation gets thin fast.
Joe Ryan of the Twins would be a perfect target. He’s a power arm with a 5-4 record, a 3.18 ERA, and 108 strikeouts in 83.1 innings. His extension and low release slot give his fastball an extra tick when he needs it. Once Minnesota decides he’s available, there will be a bidding war. General manager Chris Getz has to come with an aggressive offer or watch another team land him.
The bullpen needs a real closer
Seranthony Dominguez has 12 saves, but his 4.30 ERA tells the real story. He’s not reliable in high leverage spots. The Red Sox are buried in last place in the AL East, and they have a 38-year-old Aroldis Chapman who’s been absolutely filthy the last two seasons. Last year he posted a 1.17 ERA with 32 saves. This year it’s a 2.19 ERA and 16 saves in 26 appearances. He’s throwing strikes better than he ever has.
The Red Sox have no reason to hold onto him. The White Sox have every reason to make that call. A bullpen with Chapman closing games changes the entire feel of the late innings.
This team has already proven it can hang. The question is whether the front office will treat July as a chance to win now or just let the clock run out.
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