The Chicago White Sox are facing a lost season but can they turn it around
By Todd Welter
The Chicago White Sox are not living up to expectations.
The White Sox were picked by practically everyone with a pulse to win the AL Central and contend for the World Series heading into the start of the 2022 season.
After getting swept out of Canada by the Toronto Blue Jays, the Sox followed that up by getting thumped in Tampa in the series opener. The Sox have lost seven of the last ten games.
The Chicago White Sox are now 23-27 while looking up at the Minnesota Twins and the Cleveland Guardians in the standings.
The Sox are staring down a lost season in the face–during a contention window.
It will be hard to make that reality blink. Already way behind expectations after Memorial Day, the Sox are facing a brutal June schedule.
If you think facing the Blue Jays was tough, the Sox still have to play two more games with the Tampa Bay Rays. There is also the Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, a return set with the Blue Jays, and the Los Angeles Angels on the docket this month.
They get a breather with the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers coming to town in June along with a road trip to Detroit. The Chicago White Sox poor hitting and fielding makes those games look like not much of a sure thing.
To make matters worse, the team’s one glimmer of hope, the pitching, has turned south.
The tough June schedule and the Sox’ woes have put this season into a tailspin. Every time the Chicago White Sox look like they are pulling out of it, such as sweeping a doubleheader against the New York Yankees or an extra-innings comeback win over the Chicago Cubs, the Sox find new and fascinating ways to continue the nosedive.
This is a decline that not even ace pitcher Lance Lynn might be able to save when he returns from the injured list. Plus, he only plays every five days.
The White Sox are coming dangerously close to 2001 territory.
For those that choose to block out that year or were not born yet, that was the team coming off winning the AL Central with high hopes. Pitcher David Wells had been acquired and dreams of snapping a World Series drought were on everyone’s minds.
Then injuries and inconsistent play ravaged that team as it limped to a third-place finish.
Although that team finished over .500. The way the Sox are playing right now, their falloff is more like the 2021 Twins.
Sure, it was fun watching the Twins’ dig themselves into early grave last season. It is not such a good time watching the Sox do the same thing a year later. The White Sox are hurt like that Twins’ squad was and struggling to score runs like that team. Soon, it may be the Twins dancing on the Sox grave.