2020 Chicago White Sox season

The 2020 season was the Chicago White Sox' 121st season in Chicago and 120th in the American League. The Sox played their home games at Guaranteed Rate Field.

2020 Chicago White Sox
American League Wild Card Winners
LeagueAmerican League
DivisionCentral
BallparkGuaranteed Rate Field
CityChicago
Record35–25 (.583)
Divisional place3rd
OwnersJerry Reinsdorf
General managersRick Hahn
ManagersRick Renteria
TelevisionNBC Sports Chicago
NBC Sports Chicago+
(Jason Benetti, Steve Stone, Tom Paciorek, Tony Graffanino)
RadioWGN-AM
Chicago White Sox Radio Network
(Andy Masur, Darrin Jackson)
WRTO-AM (Spanish)
(Hector Molina, Billy Russo)
StatsESPN.com
BB-reference
Seasons

On March 12, 2020, MLB announced that because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the regular season would be delayed by at least two weeks in addition to the remainder of spring training being cancelled.[1] Four days later, it was announced that the start of the season would be pushed back indefinitely due to the recommendation made by the CDC to restrict events of more than 50 people for eight weeks.[2] On June 23, commissioner Rob Manfred unilaterally implemented a 60-game season. Players reported to training camps on July 1 in order to resume spring training and prepare for a July 24 Opening Day.[3]

Due to the pandemic and the shortened season, Major League Baseball instituted certain rule changes which included the use of a universal designated hitter, a runner on second base to start extra innings, and a revised schedule.[4] On July 30, the league and the union agreed that all remaining doubleheaders on the season would be seven innings.[5]

On April 1, 2020, longtime White Sox radio broadcaster Ed Farmer died at the age of 70.[6]

On September 17, with a win against the Minnesota Twins, the White Sox clinched their first playoff spot since 2008. This was their first winning season since 2012. They lost in three games to the Oakland Athletics in the 2020 American League Wild Card Series.

Offseason

Rule changes

For the 2020 season, MLB instituted several new rule changes including the following:[7]

  • Single trade deadline – there will no longer be a waiver trade deadline later in the year.
  • 26-man roster – rosters will expand from 25 players, but no team may carry more than 13 pitchers.
  • Three-batter minimum for pitchers - a pitcher must face three batters in a game before they can be removed unless there is an injury or the end of an inning.

Further rule changes came into effect in response to the COVID-19 pandemic including the use of the DH in the National League, a shortened schedule, and starting extra innings with a runner at second base.[8]

Transactions
  • November 21, 2019: Catcher Yasmani Grandal signed as a free agent by the White Sox to a four-year, $73 million contract.
  • November 22, 2019: 1st Baseman José Abreu signed a three-year contract extension worth $50 million with the White Sox.
  • December 2, 2019: Catcher James McCann signed a one-year extension with the White Sox.
  • December 10, 2019: White Sox trade outfielder Steele Walker to the Texas Rangers for outfielder Nomar Mazara.
  • December 20, 2019: LHP Gio González signed as a free agent by the White Sox to a one-year, $5 million contract.
  • December 30, 2019: LHP Dallas Keuchel signed as a free agent by the White Sox to a three-year, $55.5 million contract.
  • January 2, 2020: Outfielder Luis Robert signed a six-year contract extension worth $50 million with the White Sox.
  • January 9, 2020: 1B-DH Edwin Encarnación signed as a free agent by the White Sox to a one-year, $12 million contract.
  • January 14, 2020: RHP Steve Cishek signed as a free agent by the White Sox to a one-year, $6 million contract.

Regular season

On August 13, the White Sox were supposed to play the first ever MLB at Field of Dreams game against the New York Yankees at a temporary 8,000 seat ballpark in Dyersville, Iowa before the pandemic came. MLB then announced the shortened season and that the AL and NL will play against each other in the same division which took the Yankees off the matchup. Then on July 1, MLB announced that the St. Louis Cardinals would replace the Yankees for the game. Then in late July, a majority of Cardinals players and coaches tested positive for COVID-19. The MLB announced on August 3 that the Field of Dreams game would be rescheduled to August 12, 2021 in which the White Sox would still participate and their opponent will once again be the Yankees.

Game log
2020 regular season game log: 35–25 (Home: 18–12; Away: 17–13)
July: 3–4 (Home: 1–2; Away: 2–2)
#DateOpponentTime (CT)ScoreWinLossSaveRecordStreak
1July 24Twins7:10pm5–10May (1–0)Giolito (0–1)—0–1L1
2July 25Twins1:10pm10–3Keuchel (1–0)Dobnak (0–1)—1–1W1
3July 26Twins1:10pm2–14Maeda (1–0)López (0–1)—1–2L1
—July 27@ IndiansPostponed (inclement weather)[9]
4July 28@ Indians3:40pm3–4Civale (1–0)Cease (0–1)Hand (2)1–3L2
5July 28@ IndiansTBA3–5Plutko (1–0)Rodón (0–1)Hill (1)1–4L3
6July 29@ Indians5:10pm4–0Bummer (1–0)Hand (0–1)—2–4W1
7July 31@ Royals7:05pm3–2Keuchel (2–0)Bubic (0–1)Colomé (1)3–4W2
August: 19–9 (Home: 10–7; Away: 9–2)
#DateOpponentTime (CT)ScoreWinLossSaveRecordStreak
8August 1@ Royals6:05pm11–5Foster (1–0)Bolaños (0–2)Heuer (1)4–4W3
9August 2@ Royals1:05pm9–2Cease (1–1)Barlow (1–1)—5–4W4
10August 3@ Brewers7:10pm6–4Detwiler (1–0)Phelps (1–1)Colomé (2)6–4W5
11August 4@ Brewers7:10pm3–2Giolito (1–1)Williams (0–1)Colomé (3)7–4W6
12August 5Brewers7:10pm0–1Houser (1–0)Keuchel (2–1)Hader (2)7–5L1
13August 6Brewers7:10pm3–8Lindblom (1–0)González (0–1)—7–6L2
14August 7Indians7:10pm2–0Cease (2–1)Civale (1–2)Colomé (4)8–6W1
15August 8Indians1:10pm1–7Plesac (1–1)Anderson (0–1)—8–7L1
16August 9Indians1:10pm4–5 (10)Maton (1–0)Cordero (0–1)Pérez (1)8–8L2
17August 10@ Tigers6:10pm1–5Norris (1–1)Keuchel (2–2)—8–9L3
18August 11@ Tigers6:10pm8–4Foster (2–0)Alexander (1–1)—9–9W1
19August 12@ Tigers12:10pm7–5Cease (3–1)Boyd (0–2)Colomé (5)10–9W2
20August 15Cardinals1:10pm1–5Wainwright (2–0)Giolito (1–2)—10–10L1
21August 15Cardinals3:15pm3–6Cabrera (1–0)Marshall (0–1)Miller (1)10–11L2
22August 16Cardinals1:10pm7–2Keuchel (3–2)Hudson (0–2)—11–11W1
23August 17Tigers7:10pm7–2Heuer (1–0)Boyd (0–3)—12–11W2
24August 18Tigers7:10pm10–4Cease (4–1)Skubal (0–1)—13–11W3
25August 19Tigers7:10pm5–3Marshall (1–1)Soto (0–1)Colomé (6)14–11W4
26August 20Tigers1:10pm9–0Giolito (2–2)Turnbull (2–2)—15–11W5
27August 21@ Cubs7:15pm10–1Keuchel (4–2)Lester (2–1)—16–11W6
28August 22@ Cubs7:15pm7–4González (1–1)Hendricks (3–3)—17–11W7
29August 23@ Cubs1:20pm1–2Darvish (5–1)Cease (4–2)Jeffress (3)17–12L1
30August 25Pirates7:10pm4–0Giolito (3–2)Brault (0–1)—18–12W1
31August 26Pirates1:10pm10–3Keuchel (2–0)Williams (1–5)—19–12W2
32August 28Royals7:10pm6–5Colomé (1–0)Kennedy (0–2)—20–12W3
33August 29Royals1:10pm6–9Newberry (1–0)Burdi (0–1)Hahn (1)20–13L1
34August 30Royals1:10pm5–2 (10)Foster (3–0)Zuber (1–2)—21–13W1
35August 31@ Twins7:10pm8–5Foster (4–0)Rogers (1–3)Colomé (7)22–13W2
September: 13–12 (Home: 7–3 ; Away: 6–9)
#DateOpponentTime (CT)ScoreWinLossSaveRecordStreak
36September 1@ Twins7:10pm2–3Thielbar (1–0)Cordero (0–2)Wisler (1)22–14L1
37September 2@ Twins7:10pm1–8Berríos (3–3)López (0–2)—22–15L2
38September 3@ Royals7:05pm11–6Cease (5–2)Duffy (2–3)—23–15W1
39September 4@ Royals7:05pm7–4Heuer (2–0)Singer (1–4)Colomé (8)24–15W2
40September 5@ Royals6:05pm5–3Giolito (4–2)Bubic (0–5)Colomé (9)25–15W3
41September 6@ Royals1:05pm8–2Keuchel (6–2)Harvey (0–3)—26–15W4
42September 8@ Pirates6:05pm4–5Rodríguez (2–2)Detwiler (1–1)—26–16L1
43September 9@ Pirates6:05pm8–1Dunning (1–0)Brubaker (1–1)—27–16W1
44September 11Tigers7:10pm4–3Marshall (2–1)Cisnero (2–3)Colomé (10)28–16W2
45September 12Tigers6:10pm14–0López (1–2)Fulmer (0–2)—29–16W3
46September 13Tigers1:10pm5–2Cordero (1–2)Turnbull (4–3)Colomé (11)30–16W4
47September 14Twins7:10pm3–1Colomé (2–0)Rogers (1–4)—31–16W5
48September 15Twins7:10pm6–2Dunning (2–0)Dobnak (6–4)—32–16W6
49September 16Twins7:10pm1–5Stashak (1–0)Giolito (4–3)—32–17L1
50September 17Twins1:10pm4–3Heuer (3–0)Clippard (1–1)Colomé (12)33–17W1
51September 18@ Reds6:10pm1–7Mahle (2–2)Stiever (0–1)—33–18L1
52September 19@ Reds5:10pm5–0Foster (5–0)Bauer (4–4)—34–18W1
53September 20@ Reds12:10pm3–7Sims (3–0)Cease (5–3)—34–19L1
54September 21@ Indians5:10pm4–7Civale (4–5)Fry (0–1)Hand (14)34–20L2
55September 22@ Indians5:10pm3–5 (10)Maton (3–3)Foster (5–1)—34–21L3
56September 23@ Indians5:10pm2–3Hand (2–1)González (1–2)—34–22L4
57September 24@ Indians5:10pm4–5Hill (2–0)Rodón (0–2)Hand (15)34–23L5
58September 25Cubs7:10pm0–10Darvish (8–3)Cease (5–4)—34–24L6
59September 26Cubs6:10pm9–5Foster (6–1)Lester (3–3)—35–24W1
60September 27Cubs2:10pm8–10Alzolay (1–1)López (1–3)Chafin (1)35–25L1
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Postponement
Bold = White Sox team member

American League Central
AL Central W L Pct. GB Home Road
Minnesota Twins 3624 0.600 — 24–7 12–17
Cleveland Indians 3525 0.583 1 18–12 17–13
Chicago White Sox 3525 0.583 1 18–12 17–13
Kansas City Royals 2634 0.433 10 15–15 11–19
Detroit Tigers 2335 0.397 12 12–15 11–20

American League Wild Card
Division Leaders W L Pct.
Tampa Bay Rays 4020 0.667
Oakland Athletics 3624 0.600
Minnesota Twins 3624 0.600
Division 2nd Place W L Pct.
Cleveland Indians 3525 0.583
New York Yankees 3327 0.550
Houston Astros 2931 0.483
Wild Card teams
(Top 2 teams qualify for postseason)		 W L Pct. GB
Chicago White Sox 3525 0.583 +3
Toronto Blue Jays 3228 0.533 —
Seattle Mariners 2733 0.450 5
Los Angeles Angels 2634 0.433 6
Kansas City Royals 2634 0.433 6
Baltimore Orioles 2535 0.417 7
Boston Red Sox 2436 0.400 8
Detroit Tigers 2335 0.397 8
Texas Rangers 2238 0.367 10

Record against opponents
2020 American League record

Source: MLB Standings Grid – 2020

Team CWS CLE DET KC MIN NL
Chicago —2–89–19–15–510–10
Cleveland 8–2—7–35–53–712–8
Detroit 1–93–7—4–64–611–7
Kansas City 1–95–56–4—5–59–11
Minnesota 5–57–36–45–5—13–7

Detailed records

Achievements
  • In the fifth inning of their August 16 game against the St. Louis Cardinals, the White Sox hit four consecutive home runs (Yoan Moncada, Yasmani Grandal, Jose Abreu, and Eloy Jimenez), becoming the tenth team in major league history to do so and only the 2nd time it has happened in Franchise history.[10][11]
  • On August 22 and 23, José Abreu tied an MLB record by hitting a Home Run in 4 straight at-bats against the Chicago Cubs. Abreu hit three Home Runs in his 3 at-bats on August 22 off of pitchers Kyle Hendricks, Rowan Wick, and Duane Underwood Jr. then hit a Home Run on his first at-bat off of Yu Darvish the following day.[12]
  • On August 25 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, pitcher Lucas Giolito recorded his first career no-hitter in a 4–0 win. It was the first no-hitter of the MLB season.[13] Giolito struck out 13 batters and threw 74 of 101 pitches for strikes. His only blemish was a lead off walk to Erik González in the fourth inning. It was the first no-hitter for a Sox pitcher since Philip Humber pitched a perfect game in 2012 and the 19th in White Sox History.
  • In August, the Sox set a new franchise record for most home runs in a month (52).[14]
  • The Sox became the first team in Major League history to go undefeated against left-handed pitching with a record of 14–0.[15]
  • The White Sox led the American League in home runs (96), slugging percentage (.453) and total bases (928).[16]

Postseason

Game log
2020 White Sox postseason game log
American League Wild Card Series (1–2) (best of 3)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime (CT)RecordBox
1September 29@ Athletics4–1Giolito (1–0)Luzardo (0–1)Colomé (1)2:00pm1–0W1
2September 30@ Athletics3–5Bassitt (1–0)Keuchel (0–1)Diekman (1)2:00pm1–1L1
3October 1@ Athletics4–6Montas (1–0)Marshall (0–1)Hendriks (1)2:00pm1–2L1

Postseason rosters
Playoff rosters
American League Wild Card Series

Roster
2020 Chicago White Sox
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders

Other batters

 Manager

Coaches

  •  8 Daryl Boston (first base)
  • 12 Nick Capra (third base)
  • 46 Scott Coolbaugh (assistant hitting)
  • 21 Don Cooper (pitching)
  • 98 Miguel González (bullpen catcher)
  • 29 Curt Hasler (bullpen)
  • 82 Joe McEwing (bench/infield)
  • 22 Frank Menechino (hitting)
  • 96 Luis Sierra (bullpen catcher)

Player stats

Batting

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases; BB = Walks; AVG = Batting average; SLG = Slugging average

Player G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB AVG SLG
José Abreu6024043761501960018.317.617
Eloy Jiménez5521326631401441012.296.559
Tim Anderson4920845671111021510.322.529
Luis Robert Jr.562023347801131920.233.436
Yoán Moncada52200284583624028.225.385
Yasmani Grandal46161273770827030.230.422
Edwin Encarnación441591925501019016.157.377
Nomar Mazara42136133160115010.228.294
Danny Mendick331071126413606.243.383
Nick Madrigal291038353001124.340.369
James McCann319720283071518.289.536
Adam Engel368811265131213.295.477
Leury García1659616103804.271.441
Nicky Delmonico62003000302.150.150
Yolmer Sánchez111675301105.313.688
Zack Collins91611100002.063.125
Jarrod Dyson111033000020.300.300
Ryan Goins14940000001.000.000
Luis González3110000000.000.000
Yermín Mercedes1100000000.000.000
Cheslor Cuthbert1100000000.000.000
Team Totals6020473065349469629420179.261.453

Source:

Pitching

Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; H = Hits allowed; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; SO = Strikeouts

Player W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER BB SO
Lucas Giolito433.481212072.14731282897
Dallas Keuchel621.991111063.15215141742
Dylan Cease544.011212058.15030263444
Dane Dunning203.9777034.02517151335
Gio González124.83124031.24019171934
Matt Foster612.20232028.21687931
Jimmy Cordero126.08300026.2332118922
Reynaldo López136.4988026.12821191524
Codi Heuer301.52210123.21244925
Evan Marshall212.38230022.21766730
Alex Colomé200.812101222.11332816
Steve Cishek005.40220020.0211212921
Ross Detwiler113.20160019.21987515
Jace Fry013.66180019.216981224
Aaron Bummer100.969009.1511514
Carlos Rodón028.224207.297736
Zack Burdi0111.058007.111119311
Jonathan Stiever019.952206.177743
Garrett Crochet000.005006.030008
Ian Hamilton004.504004.042254
José Ruiz002.255004.021105
Alex McRae000.002003.010002
Kelvin Herrera0015.432002.134413
Jimmy Lambert000.002002.020002
Bernardo Flores Jr.009.002002.042202
Drew Anderson0140.501001.146622
Brady Lail000.001001.120001
Yolmer Sánchez009.001001.021100
Team Totals35253.81606013527.0448246223217523

Source:

Awards and honors

José Abreu won the American League Player of the Month for July/August.

Luis Robert won the American League Rookie of the Month for July/August. Robert also won the American League Gold Glove for Center field becoming the second rookie in White Sox history to do so.

The White Sox had 3 players winning the Silver Slugger Award with Abreu winning his 3rd and Tim Anderson and Eloy Jiménez winning their first.

Abreu also won his first AL MVP Award becoming the 4th player in White Sox history to do so joining Nellie Fox (1959), Dick Allen (1972), and Frank Thomas (1993-94). Abreu in 2020 batted .317 with an OBP of .370 and lead the AL in Slugging percentage at .617 and hit 19 homers on the year. Abreu also Lead the MLB with 60 RBIs and 148 total bases. Abreu also won the Hank Aaron Award, the Sporting News Player of the Year Award, and the All-MLB Second Team for first base.

White Sox General Manager Rick Hahn won the Sporting News Executive of the Year Award for 2020 becoming the third White Sox Executive to win the award joining Roland Hemond (1972) and Bill Veeck (1977).

Farm system
See also: Minor League Baseball
Level Team League Manager
AAA Charlotte Knights International League
AA Birmingham Barons Southern League
A-Advanced Winston-Salem Dash Carolina League
A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers South Atlantic League
Rookie Great Falls Voyagers Pioneer League
Rookie AZL White Sox Arizona League
Rookie DSL White Sox Dominican Summer League

References
  1. Mark Feinsand (March 12, 2020). "Opening Day delayed at least 2 weeks; Spring Training games cancelled". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  2. "Opening of regular season to be pushed back". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. March 16, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  3. Feinsand, Mark (June 24, 2020). "Play Ball: MLB announces 2020 regular season". MLB.com. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  4. Daniels, Tim. "MLB Rules, Format Changes for 60-Game 2020 Season Due to COVID-19". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  5. "MLB reduces doubleheaders to 7 innings for '20". ESPN.com. July 31, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  6. "White Sox radio broadcaster Ed Farmer dies". NBC Sports Chicago. April 2, 2020. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  7. "Report: Single-trade deadline, 26-man roster, 3-batter minimum among changes in next 2 years". masslive. March 14, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  8. Daniels, Tim. "MLB Rules, Format Changes for 60-Game 2020 Season Due to COVID-19". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  9. "White Sox-Tribe postponed; DH on Tuesday". mlb.com. MLB Advanced Media. July 27, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  10. Eagle, Ed (August 16, 2020). "Teams that have hit four straight home runs". MLB.com. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
  11. "White Sox join MLB history by hitting four consecutive home runs". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  12. Merkin, Scott (August 23, 2020). "José Abreu homer streak at Wrigley". MLB.com. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  13. Gardner, Steve (August 26, 2020). "Chicago White Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito throws MLB's first no-hitter of 2020 season". USA Today. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  14. Merkin, Scott (August 29, 2020). "Edwin's blast sets franchise record for Sox". MLB.com. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  15. "White Sox go undefeated against left-handed pitching". Janice Scurio. September 29, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  16. "2020 MLB Team Statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
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