The Sox Machine staff’s 2023 MLB predictions

Looking at last year's staff predictions, the Chicago White Sox fell very short of Sox Machine's expectations. Everyone thought they were a 90+ win team and, well, we all know how that turned out.

To honor new manager Pedro Grifol's request, let's throw away 2022 and guess how this year's White Sox will fare, along with a handful of MLB predictions.

Jim Margalus

Best Case Scenario: Everybody basically stays healthy. Tim Anderson, Eloy Jiménez, Yoán Moncada and Luis Robert Jr. all play in the same lineup for 130 games, and the lineup always has at least seven worthwhile hitters. Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito and Lance Lynn give the Sox a super-sturdy top three, and a deep bullpen makes up for the back end of the rotation. Pedro Grifol isn’t an immediate genius, but a manager invested and improving is enough to show how much Tony La Russa spoiled the last two years. The Sox win 94 games and the AL Central handily.

Worst Case Scenario: Injuries once again fracture the core, Yasmani Grandal is toast, Oscar Colás needs more seasoning in the minors, Dylan Cease regresses and no other starters rebound, and Pedro Grifol watches the front office do a controlled burn at the deadline. They finish below .500, and face difficult conversations about what to do next, because they already played the scorched-earth rebuild card.

White Sox Record Prediction: 86-76

White Sox Best Position Player: By WAR? Tim Anderson. By impact? Eloy Jiménez.

White Sox Best Pitcher: Lance Lynn

White Sox Breakout Player: Everybody’s potential feels more or less established, so I’m going to go with Gregory Santos.

2023 MLB Awards

American League MVP: Shohei Ohtani

National League MVP: Manny Machado

AL Cy Young: The AL tends to produce weird winners in years like this, so I'm gonna say Reid Detmers.

NL Cy Young: Zack Wheeler

AL Rookie of the Year: Masataka Yoshida

NL Rookie of the Year: Jordan Walker

World Series Prediction: Braves over Blue Jays as Alex Anthopoulos avenges.

Josh Nelson

Best Case Scenario: 95-67; Tim Anderson, Yoan Moncada, Luis Robert Jr., Eloy Jimenez, and Andrew Vaughn all play 140+ games. That's in addition to Dylan Cease, Lance Lynn, and Lucas Giolito making 30+ starts. Oscar Colás is not overwhelmed, and Elvis Andrus plays closer to his 2022 White Sox self than what the projections say. Thanks to Cease and Giolito, the White Sox upset Houston in the ALCS. We finally get our White Sox vs. Padres World Series, and Rick Hahn gets the last laugh at the parade.

Worst Case Scenario: 72-90; After getting swept in Houston, the Chicago White Sox finished 11-18 in April. They climb a little out of that hole in May and June, but the brutality of July's schedule is too much. On July 24, the White Sox trade Lance Lynn. The following week, Lucas Giolito is dealt. Too many Davis Martin and Sean Burke starts leads to a Top 10 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. After the season, Kenny Williams announces that Rick Hahn would step into an advisory role and Chris Getz would take over as the next White Sox General Manager.

White Sox Record Prediction: 85-77; Remember how the 2012 season went? My gut tells me we could be heading to a similar season. Rookie manager takes over a talented team that plays well for five months but falters in September.

White Sox Best Position Player: Tim Anderson

White Sox Best Pitcher: Lucas Giolito

White Sox Breakout Player: Jose Ruiz

2023 MLB Awards

American League MVP: Jose Ramirez

National League MVP: Juan Soto

AL Cy Young: Gerrit Cole

NL Cy Young: Corbin Burnes

AL Rookie of the Year: Anthony Volpe

NL Rookie of the Year: Kodai Senga

World Series Prediction: San Diego Padres over Toronto Blue Jays

Greg Nix

Best Case Scenario: Against all odds and individual player histories, the Sox remain healthy and run away with an underwhelming division. A fresh clubhouse free of decrepit egomaniacs banks them several wins. But sadly, they remain one or two impact players short and fall in the ALCS. Yet all is not lost. Jerry Reinsdorf is inspired by a billboard he spots on the way to Game 7 and sells the team to a group led by Barack Obama and Frank Thomas. 2024 suddenly looks bright for the home squad at Nugenix Field.

Worst Case Scenario: Injuries quickly fell key linchpins in the lineup and rotation. The Sox finish under .500 once again; there are very few consequences. White Sox baseball continues apace. Eat at Arby's.

White Sox Record Prediction: 88-74

White Sox Best Position Player: Eloy Jimenez

White Sox Best Pitcher: Lucas Giolito

White Sox Breakout Player: Oscar Colas

2023 MLB Awards

American League MVP: Shohei Ohtani

National League MVP: Manny Machado

AL Cy Young: Gerrit Cole

NL Cy Young: Joe Musgrove

AL Rookie of the Year: Gunnar Henderson

NL Rookie of the Year: Kodai Senga

World Series Prediction: San Diego Padres over New York Yankees

Ted Mulvey

Best Case Scenario: Hey! Everybody stays healthy! With better lines of communication established between the manager and the coaching/training staff, the health issues and lack of baseball fundamentals that plagued the 2022 White Sox disappear. Luis Robert, Eloy Jimenez, and Andrew Vaughn each finally live up to their offensive potentials, respectively, while solid starting pitching and good defense behind them bring the team the 2023 AL Central title.

Worst Case Scenario: Injuries, Cleveland's young core continues their ascendant rise while the Twins stay healthy. At the end of the year, the White Sox find themselves in third place, starting up at Cleveland and Minnesota.

White Sox Record Prediction: 83-79

White Sox Best Position Player: Eloy Jimenez

White Sox Best Pitcher: Dylan Cease (Starter) | Reynaldo Lopez (Reliever)

White Sox Breakout Player: Andrew Vaughn

2023 MLB Awards

American League MVP: Shohei Ohtani

National League MVP: Trea Turner

AL Cy Young: Cristian Javier

NL Cy Young: Max Fried

AL Rookie of the Year: Anthony Volpe

NL Rookie of the Year: Corbin Carroll

World Series Prediction: San Diego Padres over Houston Astros

Patrick Nolan

Best Case Scenario: The White Sox problems in 2022 stemmed from leg issues, which were fixed thanks to Geoff Head's training program leadership. Yasmani Grandal, Yoan Moncada, Luis Robert, and Eloy Jimenez all play at their best with pristine health, leading the White Sox to an AL Central title, with the World Series to follow.

Worst Case Scenario: The White Sox players prove themselves to be too injury-prone regardless of the training staff, and the team's best players struggle to stay on the field with anything close to 100% performance. The White Sox lack of depth is badly exposed, Oscar Colás proves not to be ready for prime time, Lucas Giolito doesn't rediscover his form, and Michael Kopech and Mike Clevinger turn out to be completely unreliable. They struggle through an even worse season than 2022 and finish with a win total in the low 70s.

White Sox Record Prediction: 85-77

White Sox Best Position Player: Luis Robert

White Sox Best Pitcher: Dylan Cease

White Sox Breakout Player: Oscar Colás

2023 MLB Awards

American League MVP: Shohei Ohtani

National League MVP: Nolan Arenado

AL Cy Young: Shane McLanahan

NL Cy Young: Sandy Alcantara

AL Rookie of the Year: Oscar Colás

NL Rookie of the Year: Corbin Carroll

World Series Prediction: San Diego Padres over Houston Astros

James Fox

Best Case Scenario: White Sox win the World Series

Worst Case Scenario: Tread around .500 and ultimately buy at the deadline while missing the playoffs.

White Sox Record Prediction: 92-70

White Sox Best Position Player: Luis Robert

White Sox Best Pitcher: Dylan Cease

White Sox Breakout Player: Andrew Vaughn

2023 MLB Awards

American League MVP: Shohei Ohtani

National League MVP: Manny Machado

AL Cy Young: Alek Manoah

NL Cy Young: Max Scherzer

AL Rookie of the Year: Masataka Yoshida

NL Rookie of the Year: Brandon Pfaadt

World Series Prediction: Philadelphia Phillies over Tampa Bay Rays