Season Recap
- Jerry Reinsdorf and Tony La Russa go all-in on 2021 World Series win and fall far short, but the team they’ve built has a promising future.
- First consecutive postseason berths in franchise history (2020 and 2021)
- First AL Central division title since 2008
- White Sox starters led the American League in ERA, SO, SO/9 IP, OPP SLG, and OPP OPS
- First lineup in MLB history to have four players with first names beginning with “Y”
White Sox 2021 Season in Review from MLB Network
Manager
Tony La Russa
With 3-0 win over Detroit, Tony places second on MLB’s all-time list of career wins at 2,764 – June 6
The jog that launched a thousand memes – July 30
Tony is ejected only 3 times this season!—extending his managerial career ejection record to 91, placing him 5th in MLB history, just 5 behind Earl Weaver.
➤ Ejected (89) after arguing balls and strikes (this time, he has a point). Tim Anderson follows suit, an inning later – July 23
➤ Ejected (90) after arguing balls and strikes – August 15
➤ Ejected (91) after protesting Mike Wright, Jr.’s ejection, rips dugout phone off the wall on the way out – September 16
➤ Finally, Tony closes out the postseason with a sportsmanlike non-ejection (91.5), becoming irate about José Abreu’s 23rd HBP of the season – October 12
Infield
Except where indicated, player stats are 2021 regular season with White Sox only.
Team Leader: José Abreu #79, 1B
566 AB | .261 AVG | 148 H | 30 HR | 117 RBI | 1 SB | 61 BB | .831 OPS
➤ José was HBP 23 times this season (including postseason)—always the gentleman, always giving the benefit of the doubt.
➤ 5 hits, all singles, with 3 RBI on 14 at-bats, in the four-game ALDS
Crushes opposite-field Grand Slam off Angels starter Andrew Heaney – April 2
Launches Grand Slam & 200th Career Home Run off Mariners reliever Kenyan Middleton – April 6
Tallies 18th career multi-home-run game—placing 3rd in White Sox history—–the first of which is the hardest (115.6 MPH) and farthest (458′) hit of his career – April 20
First-inning home run in second game of a Twins doubleheader—his 215th career slam—lands José in 4th place on the White Sox career home runs list, one ahead of Carlton Fisk – July 19
Hits first-ever MLB home run in Iowa ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ , the 222nd HR of his career, landing him in 3rd place on the White Sox career home runs list – August 12
Second half highlights from MLB Network
Soul of the Sox: Tim Anderson #7, SS
527 AB | .309 AVG | 163 H | 17 HR | 61 RBI | 18 SB | 22 BB | .806 OPS
➤ Assigned to American League All Stars – July 12
➤ 7 hits, all singles, with 1 RBI on 19 at-bats, in the four-game ALDS
Tim’s best career moments from MLB Network
The best of TA mic’d up from MLB Network
Smashes Grand Slam off Indians starter Triston McKenzie – May 1
Rocks the All-Star Game Red Carpet Show – July 13
Solo HR makes Tim the first player in White Sox history to record both a hit and a run scored in 11 consecutive games – July 18
Lifts a home run to right center in the 16th game of a 16-game hitting streak (June 27 – July 19), and extends franchise hit/run record to 12 consecutive games – July 19
Clobbers high-drama, walk-off home run at Field of Dreams – August 12
Goes 3-for-5 in 10th game of a 10-game hitting streak – August 8–20
Sets record for most hits (16) in a 6-game span in MLB postseason history – October 10
TA’s positive take on the season – October 14
Yasmani Grandal #24 | C
279 AB | .240 AVG | 67 H | 23 HR | 62 RBI | 0 SB | 87 BB | .940 OPS
➤ Played 8 games at 1B
➤ Injured list, due to torn tendon in left knee – July 6 – August 27
➤ 2 hits—1 1B and 1 HR—with 4 RBI on 14 at-bats, in the four-game ALDS
Crushes 150th career HR off Mariners starter Justus Sheffield – April 5
Smokes a 3-run HR to center field vs. Pirates – June 22
Fresh off the IL, knocks 4 H and 8 RBI vs. Cubbies – August 27
Makes over-the-shoulder grab playing 1B against Red Sox – September 12
Nabs Angels shortstop David Fletcher at 2B – September 15
In the words of A.J. Pierzynski, “I’m not gonna say he did that on purpose, but he did that on purpose.” – October 10
Zack Collins #21 | C
195 AB | .210 AVG | 41 H | 4 HR | 26 RBI | 1 SB | 34 BB | .669 OPS
➤ Uniform number changed from 38 to 21 – February 18
Three-run homer opens the scoring against Mariners – April 6
Produces four RBI on two doubles vs. Mariners – June 27
Fourth home run of the season sets up back-to-back, opposite-field HRs with TA vs. Astros – July 17
Seby Zavala #44 | C
93 AB | .183 AVG | 17 H | 5 HR |15 RBI | 0 SB | 6 BB | .616 OPS
➤ Called up from AAA Charlotte Knights – June 6
Launches Grand Slam, and becomes first player ever to hit his first three career HRs in a single game—the first two off Triston McKenzie, the third off Bryan Shaw. 4-for-4 on the day – July 31, 2021
Drives a 2-run homer into the corn at Field of Dreams – August 12
Gavin Sheets #32 | 1B, OF
160 AB | .250 AVG | 40 H | 11 HR | 34 RBI | 0 SB | 16 BB | .830 OPS
➤ 4 hits—2 1B, 1 2B and 1 HR—with 1 RBI on 14 at-bats, in 3 games of the ALDS
Major League Debut – June 29
Billy Ripkin on Sheets’ Impact After 7 Games, Compares Swings of Gavin and Larry Sheets on MLB Tonight – July 7
Delivers 3-run walk-off home run (first career HR) – July 18
Smacks first career postseason HR, third-ever Sox rookie to slam a homer in the postseason (ALDS Game 4) – October 12
Nick Madrigal #92 |2B
200 AB | .305 AVG | 61 H | 2 HR | 21 RBI | 1 SB | 11 BB | .774 OPS
➤ Nick quickly earned himself the nickname, “Nicky Two Strikes” because of his propensity to make hits when down in the count.
➤ Injured list, due to season-ending proximal tear of the right hamstring – June 10
➤ Traded, with Codi Heuer, to Cubs for RHP Craig Kimbrel – July 30
On upcoming season and ribbing from teammates about career goal of 3,000 hits on MLB Network – March 21
Hits first career walkoff (a double)—on an 0-2 count, of course!—vs. Rangers – April 24
Smokes first career HR – May 17
Sustains season-ending hamstring injury in Toronto – June 9
Player profile on First Things First – June 12
On being traded to the damn Cubs – September 11
César Hernández #12 | 2B
194 AB | .232 AVG | 45 H | 3 HR | 15 RBI | 1 SB | 21 BB | .608 OPS
➤ Traded from Indians for AA RHP Konnor Pilkington – July 29
➤ 2 hits, both singles, with no RBI on 7 at-bats, in 3 games of the ALDS
Lands 2-run homer vs. Cubs – August 6
Amazing backhanded pick prevents Rays from scoring second run – August 21
Nabs Jays outfielder Reese McGuire at 3B – August 23
Makes clutch diving stop on Danny Santana’s grounder vs. Red Sox – September 10
Logs 1,000th career hit vs. Indians – September 23
Yoán Moncada #10 | 3B
520 AB | .263 AVG | 137 H | 14 HR | 61 RBI | 3 SB | 84 BB | .786 OPS
➤ 4 hits, all singles, with 0 RBI on 16 at-bats, in the four-game ALDS
Finesses athletic play at 3B vs. Angels – April 4
Launches 2-run HR, 11th of the season (14 total) vs. Rays – August 20
Goes 3-for-5 in 19th game of a 19-game hitting streak – August 14–September 7
Makes stellar grab, fires one-hopper to 1B to throw out Eric Haase vs. Detroit – September 20
Stays in game after sliding a knee and both feet into the barrier in the 2nd in ALCS Game 2 – October 8
Jake Lamb #23 | 3B, LF
113 AB | .212 AVG | 24 H | 6 HR | 13 RBI | 0 SB | 17 BB | .710 OPS
➤ Signed with White Sox as a free agent – March 30
➤ Injured list, due to strained right quadriceps – June 29 – August 6
➤ Designated for assignment – September 1
➤ Claimed off waivers by Jays – September 4
Smokes 2-run homer vs. Orioles – May 29
Launches 3-run homer vs. A’s – August 17
Danny Mendick #20 | SS
164 AB | .220 AVG | 36 H | 2 HR | 20 RBI | 0 SB | 18 BB | .589 OPS
➤ Danny has been called up from and sent down to the farm system regularly, since late in the 2019 season.
➤ Games played at each position in 2021: 28 at 2B, 28 at SS, 8 at RF, 4 at 3B, 2 at LF, 1 at CF, 1 at DH, and 1 appearance at P.
Drives 2-run homer vs. Royals – May 8
Crushes Grand Slam off Twins reliever Derek Law – May 17, 2021
In a Class by Himself
Leury García #28 | 2B, SS, LF, CF, RF
415 AB | .267 AVG | 111 H | 5 HR | 54 RBI | 6 SB | 41 BB | .711 OPS
➤ Leury is the ultimate utility player—playing six different positions this season. Games played at each position in 2021: 36 at 2B, 34 at RF, 26 at LF, 26 at CF, 19 at SS, and 11 at 3B.
➤ Injured list, due to concussion – August 15-24
➤ 3 hits—1 1B, 1 2B and 1 HR, with 4 RBI in 15 at-bats, in the four-game ALDS
Makes lots of diving catches, like this one – June 25
And plenty of sweet infield plays, like this one – September 1
And these – June 16
And, of course, lots of crushed hits, like this one – June 8
Sustains concussion at the fence jumping for Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton’s go-ahead smash in the 9th inning – August 12
Produces 3 hits, 4 RBIs in the ALDS, including a 3-run homer in Game 3 – October 10
Designated Hitter
Yermín Mercedes #73 | DH
240 AB | .271 AVG | 65 H | 7 HR | 37 RBI | 0 SB | 20 BB | .732 OPS
➤ The 28-year-old took a long (10+ years) and bumpy road to the big leagues
➤ Yermín played one game last season (08/02/2020–his official MLB debut) with one at-bat against the Royals, but did not land a spot on the roster until this season.
➤ Monthly Batting Averages: April – .415, May – .221, June – .159
➤ Optioned to AAA Charlotte Knights – July 2
➤ Yermín made four defensive appearances—2 at C, 1 at 1B, and 1 at P
In the third game of the season, sets MLB record for most consecutive hits to start a season—8. Yermín goes 3-for-4 on the day. The first of the three hits is also his first career home run. In his 9th at-bat, Angels center fielder Mike Trout catches Yermín’s hit ball for a flyout, ending the historic hitting streak. – April 3
Slams second home run of the year and second-longest White Sox hit since 2006—485′ vs. Royals – April 8
Position-player pitches bottom 7th vs. Red Sox, (BB, [SB] 6-4 DP, 2B, 1B, RBI 1B, BB, FO) becoming the first non-pitcher to make his fielding debut as a pitcher since Dee Moore in 1936 and the third player in White Sox history to DH and pitch in the same game – April 19
Crushes solo shot to lead off the 2nd inning vs. Orioles – May 27