5 reasons that the Chicago White Sox lost the offseason

Right Field

The Chicago White Sox needs to address the right-field situation soon.

Right field was another hole in the lineup last season. Adam Eaton failed in an epic fashion. The Chicago White Sox were forced to go with a rotation of Andrew Vaughn, Gavin Sheets, Billy Hamilton, Billy Goodwin, and Adam Engel when he was healthy.

The White Sox just keeps plugging this hole with either short-term solutions or players who just naturally cannot field the position well. The Chicago White Sox has not had a legit right fielder since Jermaine Dye hung up his cleats.

The hope was the White Sox would sign a legit right fielder to finally address this hole. Instead, the White Sox are prepared to enter the 2022 season with Vaughn, Sheets, Garcia, and Engel manning time in right. Vaughn just left a Spring Training game on a cart and that changes things.

All four players are talented enough to think this plan might work. This gives Vaughn a chance for more at-bats this year unless he misses time with this recent injury.

The problem is that Vaughn and Sheets are not exactly plus defenders in the right field. Plus, they both project better at first base.

Asking those two to field the second most important defensive position in the outfield during a World Series run is a huge ask. Especially when not being the greatest fielder can lead to injuries.

Plus, Vaughn is entering his second season. Last season he showed glimpses of immense talent but he also slowed down in the second half. He is still a complete unknown as to whether he will fulfill his enormous potential at least during this season.

Sheets also has immense potential but still has not played a full season. Engel is the best defender of the three but he has to get back to full health. Those question marks are not exactly what you want from your right field when hoping to contend for a World Series.

Engel can be used for late innings defense but he might have to be used in that role for leftfield on days Eloy Jimenez is playing the field.

That is why the Chicago White Sox would have been better served to sign a proven, quality right fielder at least for this season. One reason the Sox may have not signed a right fielder is to make sure there is a clear path for prospect Yoelqui Cespedes.

He is having a great spring training and there is some belief he can come up midseason and provide the same spark to the lineup as Sheets did last season. Plus, he does project as the future right fielder. He has all the tools to be a great player someday. The Chicago White Sox needs to be more about the right now and less about the future.

Cespedes, Vaughn, and Sheets still are complete unknowns and if they fail, that can possibly hurt their chances at postseason success. Also, the White Sox are hoping five players can fill this void they have had in right field for over a decade when impact bats like Nick Castellanos or Kris Bryant were available.

The White Sox are taking a big risk here and if the gamble does not pay off, it could cost the White Sox another October without a World Series.