Looking back on 2023: White Sox look to regroup after miserable season
The best thing about 2023 for the White Sox?
It’s almost over.
In the 123-year history of the franchise, last season checks in near the top of the misery list. Just ask the man most Sox fans blame for the long slog to 101 losses.
“The 2023 season was my 43rd in baseball,” chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said. “It was absolutely the worst season I’ve ever been through. It was a nightmare. It’s embarrassing. It’s disgusting.”
With that fitting introduction, we present the White Sox’s Top 5 stories from 2023:
Hahn/Williams out
They were seemingly under lifetime contracts, but general manager Rick Hahn and executive vice president Kenny Williams were both fired on Aug. 22.
The duo had a combined run of 54 years with the organization before Reinsdorf finally dropped the hammer.
“I still believe that if I kept them in place, they had the capability to rebuild the organization,” Reinsdorf said. “But one of the things that a number of people told me was you may believe that, but the record’s the record and I was urged to make a decision by quite a number of people just based on the record.”
Getz in
Reinsdorf could have gone outside and brought in an experienced GM to replace Hahn and Williams. He opted to stay inside and promote director of player development Chris Getz.
The 87-year-old Reinsdorf said it would’ve taken a newcomer a year to get up to speed and he didn’t want to wait that long.
Getz was in charge of the White Sox’s minor-league system for seven years and was also assistant general manager the last three seasons.
“This is an opportunity I do not take lightly, and there’s a lot of work to do,” Getz said. “I am not naive to the expectation that things need to change. To that I will say the fans deserve different, I am different, we will be different.”
Early fade
Playing in the AL Central – MLB’s weakest division – the Sox were viewed as legitimate playoff contenders heading into season.
A 7-21 start put them in an early hole and they never came close to digging out.
“The guys on the roster are the guys who have to do their job and perform,” said center fielder Luis Robert Jr., the only White Sox player that met or exceeded expectations last season. “Unfortunately for us this year, it wasn’t the case. We weren’t able to do it. That’s what we have to focus on for next year. The guys on the roster have to perform.”
Rough debut
Most Sox fans where thrilled to see Tony La Russa go after two seasons in his awkward return as manager.
They gave newcomer Pedro Grifol a chance, but the grace period ended in May and it was intense dislike the rest of the season.
“This is on me, it’s simple,” Grifol said late in the season. “It’s on me. I’m the manager. I sat right there in front of everybody and told everybody we had high expectations and we were going to get this thing done. And we haven’t. But believe me, I don’t have my eyes shut and say, ‘Oh, we’re doing good.’
“This is not what I signed up for. So whether it’s personnel changes or whether it’s cultural changes or whatever the case may be, it’s going to happen.”
Mass exodus
When Hahn and Williams were still running the show, Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn and Jake Burger were among nine players traded before the Aug. 1 deadline.
Keynan Middleton was also moved, and the veteran relief pitcher had some harsh words for the White Sox’s organization after he joined the Yankees.
“We came in with no rules,” Middleton said. “I don’t know how you police the culture if there are no rules or guidelines to follow because everyone is doing their own thing. Like, how do you say anything about it because there are no rules?
“You have rookies sleeping in the bullpen during the game. You have guys missing meetings. You have guys missing PFPs (pitcher fielding practices), and there are no consequences for any of this stuff.”
Under Getz, Tim Anderson became a free agent after his $14 million club option for 2024 was declined.
Liam Hendriks, Mike Clevinger and Elvis Andrus also became free agents and Aaron Bummer was traded to the Braves.