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2 trades White Sox must make to upset Guardians in AL Central
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- 2 trades White Sox must make to upset Guardians in AL Central
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The Chicago White Sox are one of the best stories in all of baseball this season. Just two seasons removed from having the worst record in the modern era, they find themselves in first place in the American League Central.
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The White Sox had made some progress a year ago, and there was a thought at the start of the year that they could approach .500 this season. But they have a 45-39 record after recording a 9-3 triumph on the road over the Baltimore Orioles . That win is their second in a row over the Birds after having lost 17 of 18 games to Baltimore.
The White Sox have a 2.0-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians , the team that is usually considered to be the best in the division. However, as the White Sox have passed the halfway point of the season, they have to be taken seriously. Manager Will Venable has a hard-working and hustling team that has delivered key hits throughout the season. There is no reason to think that the clock will hit midnight anytime soon and the White Sox will turn back into a pumpkin any time soon.
However, there's a big difference between giving a good account of themselves and actually winning the division. If they are going to sustain their success, the White Sox will certainly hit the ball hard and drive it over the fence.
Power at the plate has been the key to White Sox success
Colson Montgomery has done a fantastic job of hitting the long ball this season. He has hammered 20 home runs in the 80 games and he has also driven in 47 runs. While his .221 average is not impressive, he is a slugger who sacrifices batting average for game-changing hits.
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The key to the Chicago offense in the early going was Japanese import Munetaka Murakami . He was on track for a spot in the All-Star Game and was on track to gain some support for the MVP Award as he hammered 20 homers with 41 RBI in 57 games when he went down with a right hamstring strain. He could be back in the lineup shortly after the All-Star break.
In addition to those two stars, third baseman Miguel Vargas has hammered 19 home runs and driven in 52 runs and veteran designated hitter Andrew Benintendi has delivered 10 home runs.
White Sox must bring in pitching to win the AL Central title
The hitting is in place for the White Sox, but the pitching is questionable. The White Sox have been dominating teams at home this season, but they have been vulnerable on the road. Bringing in a stud starting pitcher would go a long way to ensuring their success away from home in the second half of the season.
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The White Sox need to be looking at Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins . Outside of Davis Martin and Sean Burke , the White Sox don't have much to feel secure about when it comes to starting pitching. Martin has an impressive 9-3 record with a 3.00 earned run average. He has struck out 90 batters in 93.0 innings. Burke has also been good with a 5-4 record and a 3.69 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 92.2 innings.
Ryan could fit in as a No. 1 starter. He is a power pitcher who could take the ball from Venable and deliver consistently. He has a 5-4 record and a 3.18 ERA. He has 108 strikeouts in 83.1 innings.
Ryan gets excellent extension on his pitches, keeps the ball in the lower slot and can get an extra few MPH on his fastball when he needs it.
Once the Twins decide that Ryan is available in a trade, multiple teams will come calling. General manager Chris Getz must be prepared with an excellent offer if the White Sox are going to win his services.
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Aroldis Chapman would give the White Sox a dominant closer
Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The Boston Red Sox have had a brutal season and they are in last place in the American League East. They had a surprising four-game sweep over the New York Yankees in late June, but that series left the Red Sox 10 games below .500. There is little reason to think that they will begin a huge climb and get back in the American League Wild Card race.
The Red Sox have perhaps the best closer in baseball, and the White Sox need to upgrade in this area. Seranthony Dominguez is filling that role at this time and he has 12 saves in his 29.1 innings of work. However, his 4.30 ERA indicates that he is not extremely dependable in the closer's role.
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The White Sox need to step up and make a deal with the Red Sox for Chapman. The 38-year-old power pitcher has been brilliant for the Red Sox in his two seasons at Fenway Park. He had a 1.17 ERA and 32 saves a year ago, and he has a 2.19 ERA and 16 saves in 26 appearances this year. Chapman has shown far greater command in the past two seasons than he has at any other point in his career.
He would be a huge get for the White Sox.
