The White Sox came out of the deadline with a busier roster and the same basic problem: the AL Central is still crowded enough that nobody has really run away with it.
Chicago added starter Luis Castillo, catcher Joey Bart, outfielder Brenton Doyle, and reliever Huascar Brazobán, but the immediate results haven’t exactly smoothed things over. A Boston Red Sox sweep kept the White Sox from creating much separation, and Bart’s broken hand suffered on Thursday night only adds another wrinkle.
That leaves Chicago right back where it started behind the plate with Edgar Quero and Drew Romo. Castillo also stumbled in his first start in Boston, while Brazobán and Doyle each had uneven stretches in the series.
Even with that rough patch, the White Sox still sit three games ahead of both the Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins. The problem is that both of those teams also made deadline moves, which keeps this race very much alive in an open division.
Cleveland’s work was led by first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, outfielder Jo Adell, and reliever Craig Yoho, but the addition that could matter most in the standings is starter Foster Griffin. Griffin made the All-Star Game in his age-31 rookie season with the Washington Nationals and posted a 3.06 ERA in 22 starts.
His first outing for Cleveland didn’t go smoothly, though, as he allowed five runs in four innings. If he settles in and gives the Guardians the ace-level lift they’re hoping for, that rotation gets a lot more dangerous.
The Twins took a different route. They made what looked like a surprising decision to buy, even while hanging around in a weak American League Wild Card race. Their deadline haul was more modest: relievers AJ Minter and Jeff Hoffman, plus starter Dean Kremer.
Minter arrived after a strong run with the New York Mets, where he put up a 2.35 ERA in 23 games. He’s allowed one run in 2.1 innings so far with Minnesota.
Kremer came over with a 6.50 ERA in seven starts for the Baltimore Orioles, and his first Twins start produced one run over five innings. Hoffman may end up being the most important of the group.
The 2024 All-Star logged a 3.94 ERA in 51 games for the Toronto Blue Jays and brings closing experience with him.
So, did the rest of the division do enough to catch Chicago? The clean answer from the deadline is no.
The White Sox still have enough offense and pitching to hold the edge, and Cleveland and Minnesota didn’t land a blockbuster that clearly pushes them well ahead of Chicago. The White Sox didn’t make splashy moves either, but they did address needs and still look strong on paper against their closest rivals.
This weekend’s series with Cleveland should tell a lot more about whether that remains true.
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Weingartners profile is especially interesting because the physical tools are obvious, and so is the challenge of turning them into dependable production in center field. Cholowsky also continues to be part of the conversation as the White Sox sort through a crowded group of young players trying to separate themselves from the pack. For a farm system that needs impact talent to keep rising, these early snapshots matter because they can hint at who is starting to pull ahead and who still has to prove it. [Read more 🡒]