So far this season, the White Sox have been a blast to watch. Dallas Keuchel has been worth every penny, and the offense is a threat to score seemingly every inning.
But the biggest strength the White Sox have isn’t their starting pitching or their elite offense.
It’s their lights out bullpen.
A Handful of Options
The White Sox have numerous options that can get the job done on any given night. So far we have mostly seen the Big 3 of Evan Marshall, Aaron Bummer, and Alex Colome. Those 3 typically get the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings, respectively. But the bullpen depth is what really makes this unit elite.
Aside from the 3 players mentioned above, there is also Steve Cishek, another dependable option who is especially good against right-handed hitters.
There is also the flame-throwing Cody Heuer, who looks like a younger, healthier version of Nate Jones, Jimmy Cordero, and even Ross Detwiler has found a resurgence.
Take a look at these ERA’s so far in 2020:
Colome- 0.00
Bummer- 1.59
Marshall- 0.00
Cordero- 4.15
Detwiler- 0.00
Heuer- 1.69
Cishek- 6.75
Aside from Cishek and Cordero, the bullpen has been just about as unhittable as you can get. And you should still trust Cordero and Cishek to get the job done more often than not anyways.
These options make Ricky Renteria’s job a whole lot easier when deciding who to throw out there next. And we still may see the left-handed 2020 first-rounder Garrett Crochet and his 100 mph fastball sometime this year out of the pen.
The starting rotation just needs to be slightly above average. Even if the Sox are trailing in the 7th inning or later, you can count on the bullpen to at least keep them within striking distance. With an offense as potent as the Sox, they will almost never be out it.
In the playoffs, bullpens are a HUGE weapon and one of the biggest reasons why teams win series.
And the White Sox have one of the best in baseball.
