The White Sox finished a season built on offense, and that puts a few of their bats in the Silver Slugger picture as the year winds down. Chicago’s 84-win run and trip to the ALDS came with the American League’s top run-scoring attack, and three White Sox position players reached the All-Star team along the way. That kind of production usually gets noticed when awards season rolls around.
At second base, Chase Meidroth looks like the cleanest fit for hardware. He’s already on the Gold Glove finalist list after a strong showing both in the field and at the plate, and the Silver Slugger case may be even stronger.
The position isn’t especially loaded in the American League, and Meidroth finished with the best fWAR among AL second basemen at 4.1. Jazz Chisholm has the bigger name, but he trailed Meidroth in almost every offensive category except home runs.
Luke Keaschall is the other name that comes up here, but Meidroth still has the edge in the most visible power numbers. Keaschall finished ahead in batting average and on-base percentage, yet Meidroth outpaced him in home runs, RBIs, and slugging percentage.
There’s also the wrinkle that Keaschall played 49 games in the outfield, which could push him into the utility discussion instead of second base. Based on the numbers alone, Meidroth would be the hard-to-deny choice.
Third base is a much tighter race, but Miguel Vargas still has a real shot to be in the mix. The battle there has essentially been narrowed down to Vargas and Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, and Vargas finished second to him in most offensive categories. Caminero held the edge in batting average, hits, home runs, RBI, and slugging, while both players ended with the same fWAR.
Vargas does have a case of his own. He drew 101 walks and posted a .363 on-base percentage, both of which topped Caminero’s output despite Caminero hitting 26 points higher.
Vargas also led the White Sox with 22 stolen bases, while Caminero had only three. That may not be enough to make Vargas the favorite, but it should keep him in finalist territory.
The finalists are set to be announced on November 2nd.
Tristan Peters is the toughest sell of the group. He made the All-Star team in his rookie season and stacked up well statistically among American League center fielders, but the Silver Slugger process works differently in the outfield. Three outfielders are chosen regardless of position, which means center fielders are competing directly with left and right fielders for the award.
That puts Peters behind a crowded field of bigger offensive names such as Aaron Judge, Randy Arozarena, Riley Greene, and Wilyer Abreu. Those players may not line up in center, but their bats have been better than Peters’ across the board, making them more likely picks.
Peters also missed out on a Gold Glove finalist spot despite a strong defensive season, so it seems unlikely he’ll get rewarded here either. A jump forward in 2027 could change that, but for now, he looks like a longshot.
In Other News...
White Sox Once Brought Chicago To A Standstill After A Title
When the White Sox rolled back into Chicago on Oct. 17, 1917, the city was ready to celebrate. Fresh off their World Series title in New York, the club arrived by train to a raucous scene at LaSalle Street station, where bands, cheers and a surging crowd turned an ordinary homecoming into a civic event. Manager Clarence Rowland and his players were welcomed as champions, with thousands of supporters packing the station area to catch a glimpse of the team.
The scene was lively enough to cause real disruption around downtown, a reminder of how fully Chicago had embraced that championship run. For a franchise that was still building its place in the citys sports fabric, the reception spoke to the pull of a title and the size of the moment. Even now, more than a century later, it stands as one of those old-school baseball celebrations that feels bigger than the game itself. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Fans Have A Familiar Reason To Watch Milwaukee Now
Andrew Vaughns move from the White Sox to Milwaukee last season has taken on a little extra meaning for Chicago fans because his production has trended up since the change of scenery. The former White Sox first baseman has settled in well with the Brewers, giving them more on-base value and steady contributions after his departure from the South Side. It is the kind of ex-player development that tends to linger with a fan base, especially when the player in question was once expected to be part of the clubs long-term core.
There is also a practical reason Vaughn does not look like a reunion candidate anytime soon. The White Sox have Munetaka Murakami at first base, which makes a return fit difficult to imagine, and the organization is not expected to chase Vaughn once he reaches free agency. For now, the story is less about a possible homecoming than the way a familiar name has found a better groove elsewhere, giving White Sox followers one more Brewers storyline to keep an eye on. [Read more 🡒]