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After finishing last in the American League last season in runs scored and home runs, it’s imperative that the Chicago White Sox find a way to score more runs in 2016 if they’re going to have any chance to compete for a playoff spot. The addition of Todd Frazier was a big step in the right direction, but they have to do more. This need for offense makes outfielder Avisail Garcia the biggest key to their season, as he, more than any other player in Chicago’s lineup, has a chance to dramatically increase his production from a year ago.
The White Sox know they have a couple of proven sluggers in Frazier and Jose Abreu, but there is great uncertainty about what they’ll get offensively from their middle infielders or their catchers; and the recent retirement of Adam LaRoche certainly doesn’t help matters. This means Chicago will look to the outfield for meaningful and consistent production. Center fielder Adam Eaton should be a third reliable player behind Frazier and Abreu, but one never knows what to expect from Melky Cabrera, as he can be wildly inconsistent, being up one year and down the next. This leaves Garcia as a player who must become a force in the middle of Chicago’s lineup.
Last season was Garcia’s first as an everyday player in the big leagues, and he did not give a great representation of himself, hitting a disappointing .257/.309/.365. However, he’s still just 24 years old as the 2016 season opens, and he’s capable of doing far more than he showed last season. From a talent standpoint, he’s a true five-tool player with the potential to be an impact guy who hits for both average and power. If he can learn from his struggles last season and improve upon them, 2016 could be a breakout year for Garcia. His performance thus far during spring training has given the White Sox hope that Garcia can make that happen.
A breakout season from Garcia, when combined with the addition of Frazier, would completely change the look of Chicago’s lineup. Garcia has the ability to add depth to Chicago’s lineup and give the White Sox another home run threat in the middle of their batting order. If Garcia can begin to fulfill his potential, the White Sox have a chance to put together a respectable offense that could at least be middle-of-the-pack in the American League. When combined with a strong pitching staff, that could be enough to make the White Sox a contender for the Wild Card, which is best they can realistically hope for in 2016.
Of course, if Garcia has another year like he did last season, it gives the White Sox just another hole in a lineup that’s already littered with questions heading into the 2016 season. Without getting substantial production from an unexpected source, the White Sox don’t have much of a chance to compete in 2016. Garcia is Chicago’s best option to be that player to step up, making him a critical part of their 2016 season.
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