Chicago White Sox: 4 players showing out in World Baseball Classic provides hope for 2023
By Todd Welter
The Chicago White Sox are hoping to return to the postseason after a disappointing 2022 season.
Pedro Grifol is the new manager on the Southside. A new manager will not make much of a difference if the Sox have the same amount of injuries as they had last season.
They also need bounce-back seasons from their core players if they hope to take back the AL Central crown from the Cleveland Guardians.
One of those players that the Chicago White Sox needs to bounce back is Tim Anderson. He only played in 79 games because of injuries. He hit .301 on the season but struggled at the plate after May.
Tim Anderson is healed up and ready to prove he is still among baseball’s best.
Anderson is showing in the World Baseball Classic he is ready to get back to contending for the American League batting title.
He currently has five hits in 16 at-bats with two walks, three runs scored, and five RBI. Where he has impressed is in the field.
Anderson struggled defensively last season. He has been outstanding during the WBC while playing second base.
Without Tim Anderson this game would have been much worse. He’s struggling with the lumber but the leather has been solid
— Herb Lawrence (@Ecnerwal23) March 19, 2023
It seems like Anderson has found his swagger. Team USA manager Mark DeRosa encouraged Tim to get back to being the bat-flipping, confident player he was before 2022. If the Chicago White Sox can get that version of Tim Anderson back at the top of the lineup, they will have a very potent hitter at the top of the order. Add in Andrew Benintendi to follow Anderson in the batting order and the White Sox have an elite one-two punch in their lineup.