How White Sox Affected by MLB Canceling Opening Day

Why canceled games won’t hurt Sox as much as you think originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago Take a week off the White Sox schedule? Bring it. Take a month off? It doesn’t figure to impact a team built like the White Sox. In fact, it could put them in a greater position of strength with the roster they have. MLB canceled the first two series of the regular season after failing to reach a new labor deal with the locked-out players this week. The White Sox lost a pair of three-game series: vs. the Twins and at the Royals. They’re tentatively scheduled to open at Detroit April 8 before a six-game homestand vs. the upstart Mariners and perennial favorite Rays. Whether MLB cancels any further games, a shortened season may give the Sox lasting power as they look to make it back to the postseason a third straight year. Already considered an American League favorite, the White Sox rely on frontline players in lot of areas across the roster. They won the AL Central in 2021 despite being hit hard by injuries. Only five position players appeared in 100 games last season, with Eloy Jiménez and Luis Robert among those who missed significant time. There’s no ignoring the injury risk of a quick ramp-up to the season. MLB said it anticipates needing four weeks of workouts after a labor deal is reached. There was a high rate of injuries in 2020, when MLB conducted a three-week “summer camp” before the 60-game season.  But a shortened schedule could help players stay on the field as much as possible, with reduced wear and tear on their bodies than a typical 162-game campaign. That might be especially crucial for Michael Kopech, who will be on an innings limit as he jumps from the bullpen to the rotation this season. His career high at any level is 134 1/3 — five years ago — and he missed all of 2019 and 2020.  Though the White Sox will closely monitor his workload, a shortened schedule could help keep him, and the entire rotation, fresh for a deep October run.  Speaking of the pitching staff, the Sox have a deep bullpen that currently includes Craig Kimbrel. The All-Star closer struggled in his role as a setup man after the White Sox acquired him from the Cubs last summer. Kimbrel is the team’s biggest trade piece and could be dealt soon after the lockout ends. If he stays on the market longer and gets back on track in the meantime, the bullpen becomes a greater strength. Maybe then it’s tougher to move on from him. The lockout costing any games is no doubt disappointing, certainly for the Sox and their fans. The club’s contention window has been impacted ever since it opened in 2020, by a real-world factor out of anyone’s control: the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Sox are a pennant favorite as constructed. Some have speculated an additional move or two could put them over the top. Whenever the season starts, they’ll be in prime position to make a deep playoff run. Click here to follow the White Sox Talk Podcast. DownloadDownload MyTeams Today!

The, Famous