Why the White Sox Really Can Win the 2020 World Series

It’s all coming together on the Southside.

The 11-year playoff drought is over, but many predicted that would be the case heading into the year. What they didn’t expect was for Chicago to be contending for the top seed in the American League with just a few games left on the schedule.

The lineup is robust, the pitching has been top-notch, and the guys are too young to realize they aren’t supposed to be playing this well.

Anyone still wary of betting on the White Sox to win the 2020 World Series, allow me to put those fears to bed.

Jose Abreu has been nothing short of splendid for Chicago. The MLB’s leader in hits and RBI also happens to lead the AL in WAR, so you’d think he’d be a shoo-in to take home the MVP honors.

The hang-up with that is one of his teammates is also putting up video-game-like numbers at the plate.

Tim Anderson ranks second among all AL batters in WAR thanks to a robust .346 clip. The White Sox shortstop tops all American League players in runs – and don’t think for a second that his outburst in 2020 just a summer fling. Anderson led the Majors in batting average in 2019 (.335) and is entrenched as one of the league’s most consistent hitters.

The MLB postseason structure instituted for the truncated season means that all first-round series will be a best-of-three format. That’s good news for Rick Renteria – the White Sox skipper who can sleep easy at night knowing he’s got three incredibly reliable starters.

Dallas Keuchel has been wheeling and dealing all season long – proving you don’t have to be a strikeout pitcher to consistently get outs at this level. Lucas Giolito has whiffed 97 batters across 72.1 innings and gives the Chi Sox a legit “1-2” punch at the top of their rotation.

And while Reynaldo Lopez and Dylan Cease will both counted on as steady contributors, it’s right-handed rookie Dane Dunning who has surged into the #3 hole.

Dane Dunning is the real deal and should be treated as such.

— Shane Riordan (@shane_riordan) September 16, 2020

The 25-year-old hurler has continued to impress since making his debut on August 19^th. Dunning’s repertoire of pitches includes a devastatingly sharp slider that generates a lot of ground balls and lots of swings and misses.

Not a bad recipe to follow once the playoffs get underway.

The ERA of the White Sox bullpen is already among the top 5 in the American League (3.69). However, that number is set to shrink now that Aaron Bummer has rejoined the fray. The trusty southpaw had been dealing with a nerve issue in his left bicep that had him sidelined since August 7^th. Thankfully no damage to the tendon was traced and he’s back in time for the stretch run.

Also joining Bummer as a member in Chicago’s pen is former starter Carlos Rodon. Injuries have plagued 27-year-old lefty for the better part of his career, but perhaps a more concentrated role as a reliever will be able to take advantage of his skillset.

As welcoming as it is to have both Bummer and Rodon back in the clubhouse, the arrival of Garrett Crochet is what takes this unit from “good” to “great.”

The 11^th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft became the first player from that class to appear in a big-league game, and he’s already painting the corners with 101 mph heaters.

Holy hell Garrett Crochet is nasty. Drafted in June. Now sitting 100 left-handed with his fastball, dropping 93-mph changeups and flinging 86-mph sliders to show off. He'll be a weapon for the White Sox this October and should be a big part of the reason if they make a deep run.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) September 24, 2020

Despite a recent tailspin in which the Indians have been edging out the White Sox, Chicago still tops the American League in run-differential. This is important in the context of why you would want to bet on the White Sox to win the 2020 World Series.

If you go back and look at recent WS winners, you’ll see they all ranked at or near the top in this all-important statistic.

The number of games you win or lose ultimately decides whether or not you qualify for the playoffs. With that being said, the teams that play the best baseball are the ones that emerge with the leading run differentials.

They’re also the clubs with the best chance to blitz through the month of October.

This team is so well-rounded that I didn’t even get a chance to praise Eloy Jimenez. Not a peep was uttered about potential AL ROY Luis Robert, and don’t sleep on Nick Madrigal providing a big boost in the infield.

If former All-Stars Edwin Encarnacion and Yasmani Grandal can heat up their bats, getting through the Chicago lineup once will be a tall order. Doing it three or four times in one game – that’ll be almost impossible.

The way things stand, I’m taking a pass on the Yankees and the Rays. The White Sox are the team from the American League that offers the most value for a 2020 World Series bet.