The Chicago White Sox found themselves in a tough spot entering the 2023 All-Star break. The White Sox are eight games out of first place in an AL Central that is as bad as any division in baseball this season.

The question now is if Chicago will buy or sell at the trade deadline.

The South Siders' roster of 2023 MLB All-Star Game participants is limited to just one name: Luis Robert. Robert participated in Monday's Home Run Derby festivities and did the team proud, besting a generational round from Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles.

As White Sox players and fans watched the Derby unfold, ending in a Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. victory, Robert Jr.'s teammate Lucas Giolito dropped an awkwardly timed revelation on Instagram that took some of the wind out of the rising slugger's sails as fans were left wondering exactly what happened.

 

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A post shared by Lucas Giolito (@lgio27)

Robert, Jr. led the White with 26 home runs at the All-Star break for the struggling Windy City team. Giolito paced the White Sox on the pitching side of things with six wins and an ERA of 3.44 on 16.3 pitches per inning.

Chicago had a team ERA of 4.53 at the break, suggesting that the team needs Giolito more than ever in the second half of the season if playoff contention or a strong finish of any kind is to be expected.

Giolito appeared to turn off comments on the post about his separation, leaving White Sox fans on an island with no way to offer support for their 28-year-old staff ace.

The White Sox are scheduled to resume the season on Friday, July 14 with a road tilt against the Atlanta Braves.