One of Major League Baseball's top insiders, USA Today's Bob Nightengale, makes his first appearance of the 2023 season on the Jack Vita Show, to discuss the latest news and stories from the world of baseball.
Through their first 26 games, the Chicago White Sox are off to a terrible start. Under new manager Pedro Grifol, the club enters play Friday at 7-19, having lost eight straight games, in fourth place in a weak American League Central division. After wildly underperforming in 2022, the White Sox had a relatively quiet offseason. The club signed outfielder Andrew Benintendi to a five-year, $75 million contract, the richest free agent deal in franchise history. The Sox also added former Cleveland Guardians and San Diego Padres pitcher Mike Clevinger. The White Sox switched managers and added a pair of veterans, hoping that the team would bounce back in 2023. Instead, the White Sox are trending in the opposite direction and are now in serious danger of falling out of contention before the start of May. Bob and Jack check the pulse of the White Sox and discuss if the team has any signs of life.
Bob and Jack discuss the biggest surprises from the first month of the MLB season. The St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies all made the postseason last year, but are off to slow starts to begin the new season. Should we be concerned about any of these teams?
Similarly, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles have exceeded expectations in the early part of the season. Are these teams legit? The Pirates have the best record in the National League. Are they in it for the long haul, and can they compete for the National League Central crown, or are they still another year away from being a serious player in the division?
Bob also reported earlier in the week that the Padres have growing concerns for their highly priced slugger Juan Soto, who has struggled since the club acquired him from the Washington Nationals at last year's trade deadline. Bob discusses why Soto could be traded upon the conclusion of the 2023 season.
All this, and much more from around the league, this week on the Jack Vita Show!
You can follow Bob on Twitter (@BNightengale) and read his work at USA Today's website!
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