Chicago White Sox 2022 Betting Odds and Team Preview
Now that Major League Baseball is officially out of a lockout and games are officially set to be played, we are beginning our 2022 team previews. In preparation for the new campaign, we will be taking a deep dive into the data for all 30 rosters, in addition to offering our MLB betting takes on baseball futures odds, such as win totals, division winners, and more. If you’re a Chicago White Sox fan living in Illinois, make sure to check our best Illinois sportsbook offers.
In 2021, the Chicago White Sox won 93 games. Remarkably, this was the first 90-win season for the White Sox since 2006. Though their season ended prematurely in the American League Division Series, their first division title since 2008 was a major milestone for an organization that won only 72 games as recently as 2019. Let’s take a look at how this offense will look in 2022 as they look to take the next step in their development, and contend for their first World Series appearance since 2005.
Chicago White Sox Odds
- Regular Season Wins: Over 91.5 Wins (-110)
- Best Regular Season Record: +1000
- Division Winner: -200
- To Make the Playoffs: -370
- American League Winner: +500
- World Series Champion: +1100
Offense
| Name | Pos. | GP 2021 | wRC+ v. LHP | wRC+ v. RHP | K% | BB% | UZR/ 150 |
| Yasmani Grandal | C | 93 | 184 | 150 | 21.9% | 23.2% | -1.9 |
| Jose Abreu | 1B | 152 | 161 | 116 | 21.7% | 9.3% | -11.8 |
| Josh Harrison | 2B | 138 | 114 | 99 | 13.4% | 5.6% | -3.1 |
| Yoan Moncada | 3B | 144 | 99 | 129 | 25.5% | 13.6% | 5.0 |
| Tim Anderson | SS | 123 | 125 | 118 | 21.6% | 4.0% | -0.6 |
| Eloy Jimenez | LF | 55 | 60 | 116 | 24.7% | 6.9% | -3.5 |
| Luis Robert | CF | 68 | 231 | 135 | 20.6% | 4.7% | -2.2 |
| Adam Engel | RF | 39 | 76 | 154 | 22.1% | 7.9% | 7.3 |
| Andrew Vaughn | DH | 127 | 156 | 68 | 21.5% | 8.7% | -0.2 |
| Leury Garcia | UTIL | 126 | 91 | 101 | 20.5% | 8.6% | 0.5 |
Offensively, it is likely to be nearly impossible to slow down the White Sox. Against left-handed pitching in 2021, Chicago ranked 6th in OPS, 7th in ISO, 22nd in strikeout percentage, 9th in walk rate, and 4th in wRC+. Facing right-handed pitching, the White Sox ranked 9th in OPS, 17th in ISO, 9th in strikeout percentage, 3rd in walk rate, and 6th in wRC+. The post-lockout addition of Josh Harrison on a one year, $5.5M deal only makes this lineup more deadly against left-handed pitching, and allows Leury Garcia to be used across the diamond as a utility depth piece when rest is needed or injuries occur.
The primary concern for Chicago during the 2022 campaign will once again be their defense. Though most pundits will understandably gawk at the impressive collection of pitching and hitting that General Manager Rick Hahn has assembled, this team will still need to be able to limit their errors to win games on a consistent basis. Only the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, and Miami Marlins committed more errors during the 2021 season, and only the Twins, Red Sox, and Marlins had a worse fielding percentage. It is also worth noting that Adam Engel, Leury Garcia, Yasmani Grandal, Eloy Jimenez, Yoan Moncada, and Andrew Vaughn each graded negatively on the basepaths in 2021. The White Sox have a prodigious offensive attack, but if something is going to derail their dominance in 2022–it is likely to be the less sexy fundamentals that are rarely talked about when discussing preseason projections.
White Sox MVP Odds:
Luis Robert (+3500)
Luis Robert is exactly the type of player that bettors should target when making longshot futures wagers. As a rookie, Robert’s bat was close to league average, but his elite defense won him a Gold Glove award in the outfield. In 2021, Robert played only 68 games after a freak injury when he tore a hip flexor running to first base. However, when he did play–he mashed against both left- and right-handed pitching. His average exit velocity on fastballs, breaking pitches, and offspeed offerings each increase from his rookie year to last year. If he can stay healthy, he should be firmly entrenched in the conversation for best player in the American League with a rare combination of power, speed, and defense.
Robert’s AL MVP odds are as short as +2800 at PointsBet Sportsbook but you can get +3500 odds at Caesars.
Jose Abreu (+3500)
It is hard to say that this would be a bad wager, considering that Jose Abreu won the MVP in 2020. Abreu has been at least 15 percent better than the league average batter each year since joining the big leagues in 2014. His strikeout rate is no longer elite, but is still palatable. An ISO of .219 is likely to result in roughly 30 home runs, and a lineup position in the middle of a vaunted White Sox lineup should have him around 100 RBI once again. Still, he probably is not even the best hitter on his own team.
Tim Anderson (+3500)
Tim Anderson has posted a batting average of .309 or better in each of the last three seasons. However, has stolen 20 bases only once in his first six seasons as a big leaguer and has never hit more than 20 home runs in a campaign. His defense is good, but not great. There are better options for bettors to consider on the futures market in this price range.
Eloy Jimenez (+5000)
Last March, Eloy Jimenez tore a pectoral tendon that threatened to keep him out for the entire season. He returned to the field in late July, but posted career-worst average exit velocity against fastballs and offspeed offerings. Jimenez certainly has plenty of potential, but he needs to improve against left-handed pitching and against offspeed pitches to become one of the best hitters in the game.
Yoan Moncada (+6000)
Yoan Moncada does not do anything particularly well, but neither does he do anything particularly poorly. A former top prospect, Moncada has settled into a respectable role as a slightly above average hitter, who has made marginal improvements at the plate each season. He lacks the true upside of an MVP candidate at this point in his career, but the White Sox will hardly be disappointed if he can approach 20 home runs and drive in 70 runs in 2022.
Yasmani Grandal (+1000)
A catcher has not won the MVP award since 2012 when Buster Posey batted .336, hit 24 home runs, and drove in 103 runs for the San Francisco Giants. Grandal lacks both the skill and the durability to replicate those numbers. After playing only 40 of 60 games in 2020, and only 93 of 162 games in 2021, Grandal is unlikely to contend for any awards this summer.