The 2024 series on team offense continues with the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox finished twenty ninth in the Majors and fourteenth in the American League in 2023 with 3.96 runs scored per game.

This season I am using FanGraphs Roster Resource Depth Charts* as the source of default lineups. That Pedro Grifol batting order is plugged into the Lineup Analysis Tool (LAT) using Musings Marcels as the batter projections. That information produces the following results (Runs per game):

• Best lineup: 4.45
• Probable lineup: 4.31
• Worst lineup: 4.07
• Regressed lineup: 4.15

Martin Maldonado‘s stats argue against batting the worst hitter eighth. Maldonado projects to a .265 OBP, which is so low that teams rightly think that setting up the top of the order isn’t worth the extra plate appearances for Maldonado. Batting him ninth, a team might also get a few more defensive innings out of the catcher, as in any important offensive situation, the manager will need to remove Maldonado for a pinch hitter.

The lineup construction is fine. The right for people are grouped together at the top, in the middle, and at the bottom even if the exact ordering is not optimal. The White problem is not lineup construction, but a lack of talent. Almost all the power belongs to Luis Robert Jr. and Eloy Jimenez. Four of the starters project to slugging percentages under .400.

Maybe they turn out to be a better offense than in 2023, but the team is unlikely to make a huge leap. Division opponents Detroit and Cleveland have done a better job of improving their run scoring capabilities.

You can follow the data for the series in this Google spreadsheet.

Previous posts in this series:

• Introduction
• Atlanta Braves
• Los Angeles Dodgers
• Texas Rangers
• Tampa Bay Rays
• Houston Astros
• Chicago Cubs
• Baltimore Orioles
• Philadelphia Phillies
• Cincinnati Reds
• Minnesota Twins
• Boston Red Sox
• Seattle Mariners
• San Diego Padres
• Arizona Diamondbacks
• Toronto Blue Jays
• Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
• Milwaukee Brewers
• Colorado Rockies
• St. Louis Cardinals
• New York Mets
• Washington Nationals
• Pittsburgh Pirates
• Kansas City Royals
• San Francisco Giants
• New York Yankees
• Miami Marlins
• Cleveland Guardians
• Detroit Tigers

*This is the best source of roster information I’ve seen, with everything on one page.