The Chicago White Sox are preparing for the 2024 season after recently trading ace Dylan Cease to the San Diego Padres. Chicago may have a difficult time competing for a playoff spot in 2024, but they would love to silence their critics and upset the odds. Chicago's roster unquestionably has uncertainty, but it also features a number of players who are capable of enjoying big seasons.
Without further ado, here are three White Sox bold predictions for the 2024 season.
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Nick Nastrini earns American League Rookie of the Year consideration
Nastrini now has more of a chance of making the big league roster out of spring training following the Cease deal. He was acquired by Chicago in the Lance Lynn/Joe Kelly deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2023 trade deadline, and has a chance to emerge as a key rotation option for the Sox.
Nastrini is ranked within the White Sox's top 10 prospects for the 2024 season and reportedly is making case to start the season on the MLB roster, per Scott Merkin of MLB.com.
Nastrini isn't worried, though. He just wants to make an impact whenever the White Sox give him an opportunity.
“Being a pitcher, it’s a lot of fun,” Nastrini said, via Merkin. “I dreamed about it my whole life. If it happens at the end of spring, I break with the team, then that’s going to be awesome. But if I get the chance in the middle of the season or sometime during it, then that’s going to be awesome, too.”
Nastrini has pitched to a stellar 0.82 ERA across four spring training outings, per MLB.com. He's been terrific in his 11 innings of work this spring, but Chicago will not rush him to the big leagues. Regardless, Nastrini is going to impact the White Sox soon and will earn AL Rookie of the year consideration as a result.
Michael Kopech makes American League All-Star team as reliever
The White Sox recently announced that Michael Kopech will move to the bullpen in 2024. The news was overlooked due to the Cease trade, but Chicago's Kopech decision is important.
Kopech, 27, reacted to the bullpen move announcement on Thursday, via Tori Rubinstein of NBC Sports Chicago.
“I think right now it's just been trying to find a little bit of a rhythm, to be honest,” Kopech said. “I'm not making any excuses for myself, but just trying to get back to finding my legs after having another surgery this past offseason, and finding a rhythm in my mechanics, and just getting comfortable with the release point and little things like that.
“The results weren't there this spring. I had some strikeouts, which was nice. But I wasn't very efficient, which is the main result we're looking for.”
Kopech wasn't great this spring. He's recorded a lackluster 6.75 ERA in four games pitched as of this story's writing. But he should not view the move to the bullpen as a negative demotion.
Kopech throws hard from the right-side and has the tools to become a great reliever. In 2021, 44 of Kopech's 48 appearances came out of the bullpen and he turned in a respectable 3.50 ERA. He's been a starting pitcher since, and has seen mixed results.
Kopech will be able to utilize his velocity on a more consistent basis in a relief role. Pitchers often hold back early in games to conserve energy for a full start. Now, Kopech can give it all he has in his one or two innings of work in relief.
Look for Kopech to make the AL All-Star team as a reliever in 2024.
Eloy Jimenez leads AL in home runs
Finally, our last bold prediction for the White Sox is that slugger Eloy Jimenez will lead the league in home runs.
Some people around the MLB world may claim that this prediction is not as bold as it seems given Jimenez's elite power potential. But the fact is that Jimenez has only hit more than 20 home runs once in his career, which happened in 2019 when he crushed 31 long balls.
Jimenez has also played in more than 120 games just once in his career as well, and that also came in 2019. In other words, I am banking on Jimenez staying healthy throughout the 2024 campaign. In all reality, he just needs 130-140 games to smash no shortage of home runs.
Yes, Aaron Judge will obviously challenge Jimenez. But it feels like Eloy Jimenez has been on the verge of a huge campaign for a while now, and perhaps everything will come to fruition in 2024.
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