The Chicago White Sox have struggled mightily to open the 2022 campaign. Their record sits at well under .500 and some people are questioning the legitimacy of their contention ability. The team has been hampered by injuries as well, as Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, and Eloy Jimenez have all already dealt with various ailments. When you combine that with underperforming stars it becomes quite clear why Chicago has underwhelmed so far this season.

But is there still hope for the White Sox in 2022?

Although some dramatic fans on Twitter may say otherwise, the White Sox are still the favorites to emerge from the AL Central. Here are three reasons for White Sox fans to remain hopeful.

3 Reasons the White Sox will Still Win the AL Central

The AL Central Effect

The quality of competition needs to be considered.

The Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals have all played rather poorly as well to open the year. The Guardians swept the White Sox earlier in the season and then went on a massive losing streak. Detroit's new additions have failed to help their winning ways, and Kansas City's youth movement has yet to produce consistent victories.

The Minnesota Twins have been the one team that has actually played well in the division. In fact, they are the only team with a record above .500 as of this story's publication. But their pitching has plenty of question marks and may not be able to hold up for an entire 162 game slate.

The White Sox still possess the most talent in the AL Central. Once they begin getting healthy Chicago should be able to take care of business against teams in their division.

Stars in Sox: White Sox's Budding Stars

Some of the White Sox veteran players such as Jose Abreu and Yasmani Grandal are off to slow starts. But they are both proven professionals who should be able to turn things around. However, Chicago has seen a few young players display signs of star potential.

Andrew Vaughn was an exciting young prospect who debuted last season. He performed well but it looks as if he is ready to take the next step this year. Vaughn currently leads the team in home runs and is hitting .300 with a .975 OPS.

Jake Burger has impressed so far in 2022. He has hit over .270 with a pair of home runs. He doesn't get on base as much as Chicago would like, but Burger seems destined to be a quality hitter in the big leagues.

Michael Kopech was once one of the most highly-touted prospects before undergoing Tommy John surgery a few years ago. But the flame-throwing right hander is back and is throwing the ball well for the White Sox. Kopech has a 1.42 ERA and 0.95 WHIP as of this story's publication. He is doing a tremendous job of limiting opponents' batting average while still getting his fare share of strikeouts.

Chicago's young studs are reason enough to remain hopeful.

Every Team Slumps…. Even the White Sox

It is easy to label a team as “bad” after a rough start to a season. But the fact is that every team during an MLB season goes through a difficult stretch. The White Sox could easily reel off 5 wins in a row next week and people would forget about their early-season struggles.

It is possible that mid-way through the year the Dodgers or Mets will have a tough stretch as well. But people won't worry about it as much since they will already produced good overall records. It is a long season and for every slump a team is a couple of wins away from turning the page every time.

White Sox fans need to remain patient. This team is going to be fine.