Chicago White Sox: What to Expect for 2017 Season

Fans of the Chicago White Sox have been accustomed to getting their hopes up with early season predictions, but then those hopes are dashed come mid-June. What can we expect from the South Siders in 2017?

First off, I just want to give huge props to the Chicago White Sox for such a brilliant off season. They went and traded Chris Sale and Adam Eaton after two failed attempts at a playoff run, and they got tremendous returns for both guys.

The Sox went from having one of the worst farm systems in baseball, to having arguably the best. The rebuild is here, but Rick Hahn and company have put the team in a successful position.

Trading Sale and Eaton was just the beginning. There are still more rebuild trades to be made. Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier, David Robertson, Melky Cabrera, Nate Jones and Jose Abreu are all still on the squad and are definitely available for the right price.

I would expect some deals to come sooner rather than later. The Sox hold all of the leverage, and they will not settle on their asking prices at the moment.

The MLB Trade Deadline could be extremely interesting for the Chicago White Sox this year. Look for them to be active sellers barring a surprising strong start to the season.

Guys like Jones, Robertson, and Frazier are still on decent contracts with great value. There should be some interest in players like that from contenders. Don’t forget that last season we saw the Cubs pay a hefty price for a closer. Could the same be done again for a guy like Robertson or Jones? Frazier could provide that power bat that lifts a team over the top as well. It will be very interesting to see what the Chicago White Sox do with all of their assets.

Youth

On the field, this team is very young. Charlie Tilson, Tim Anderson, Cody Ashe, Yoan Moncada, Matt Davidson, Omar Narvaez, Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Carson Fulmer and Zack Burdi are all expected to come in and compete for spots on this roster. That means a lot of errors and mistakes will be made. It is just part of learning and growing in the big leagues. These guys will improve as the season goes along, but expect to be frustrated early on this season.

Lineups and Rotations

As far as the line-up goes, this team is not much worse than last season. Tilson is expected to be the opening day starter in centerfield, and Geovany Soto to be the starting catcher as well. Beyond that, the lineup does not look a whole lot different.

The pitching rotation however, is a different story. I expect this to be a terrible rotation. Assuming Quintana does eventually get traded, this rotation could be the worst in baseball. Even with Quintana it is still pretty bad. Miguel Gonzalez, Carlos Rodon, James Shields, and Derek Holland appear to be the rest of the guys filling out the rotation. Look for Giolito and Lopez to eventually compete for a couple of these spots as the season rolls on and trades are made.

The bullpen still boasts some decent arms at the moment. David Robertson is most likely going to be traded leaving the door wide open for Zack Burdi to take over as the closer. Nate Jones has also been floated around the rumor mill, but I expect him to stay with the Sox for the duration of the 2017 season.

Michael Ynoa could do very well again on the South Side this season. The bullpen could potentially be a bright spot for this White Sox team in 2017. Do not forget about guys like Dan Jennings, Giovanni Soto (no, not the catcher), Jake Petricka, and more who will be expected to eat some innings this season.

Final 2017 Prediction

This season will have tons of ups and downs for the Chicago White Sox. Young guys will improve, but they might start off slow. The rotation will be frustrating all year long, but the hitting might not be as bad as predicted. Once all of the trades are completed however, I expect the White Sox to be one of the worst teams in baseball.

Next: White Sox Players to Watch in Spring Training

This could give them a top five pick in the 2018 draft. The pick could spur on the rebuilding effort, and it could get them where they want faster. The first season of a rebuild normally does not go well, so expect the Sox to be way under .500 this season when it’s all said and done.

2016 record: 78-84

2017 record prediction: 65-97

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Chicago White Sox: What to Expect for the 2017 Season

By Zachary Leslie | Feb 21, 2017

Fans of the Chicago White Sox have been accustomed to getting their hopes up with early season predictions, but then those hopes are dashed come mid-June. What can we expect from the South Siders in 2017?

Youth

Lineups and Rotations

Final 2017 Prediction