The Chicago White Sox are the favorites to win the American League Central without much question. They feature an elite bullpen, powerful offense, and strong starting rotation. However, the AL Central was far weaker in 2021 than it is expected to be in 2022. Chicago held a commanding 13 game lead over second place Cleveland in 2021 to capture the division title. Cleveland finished one game under .500, while the rest of the division was well under .500. Meanwhile, the White Sox posted an impressive 93-69 final record. 

But the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins made moves to bolster their teams for 2022 while Chicago mostly stood pat besides a few under the radar moves.

The Tigers kicked off the season by signing LHP Eduardo Rodriguez and 2B/SS Javier Baez to contracts. Baez has struggled over the past couple of years but has the talent to be an elite player. Rodriguez has been a vital factor for the Red Sox rotation for the past few seasons and should be an important part of Detroit’s rotation. 

The Twins added RHP Sonny Gray and then shocked the baseball community by inking SS Carlos Correa to a contract. 

Both teams could find themselves in contention by season’s end. The Cleveland Guardians made minimal moves but they are always a threat to contend as well. 

There were people around baseball who questioned Chicago’s approach to the offseason after they did not make any huge signings. But star closer Liam Hendriks is fully confident in the White Sox front office decision-making. 

“Our job is to get ready for the season and it’s theirs, too, whether it’s with the current guys we got or a couple different pieces they add. You trust in them to have the interest of winning a championship.”

The White Sox expect to compete this season and make a deep playoff run.