Chicago Sports

Week 6 wasn’t as tumultuous as the rest of the season. But both Mount Carmel and Loyola received real tests, which was interesting.

The Caravan and Ramblers won, but the close games were good signs for Brother Rice and Marist.

Three teams join the rankings this week. St. Charles North and Lake Zurich have been knocking on the door for a long time and could have entered any of the past few weeks.

The North Stars have won five consecutive games, with quality wins against Lake Zurich, Wheaton North and Geneva. Every game they’ve played this season has been against a difficult opponent.

Lake Zurich isn’t quite as battle-tested as St. Charles North but has likely deserved a spot since beating Warren in Week 5.

Plainfield North is the third newcomer. The Tigers sneak in at No. 25. The Southwest Prairie doesn’t appear to be particularly strong this season, but the win against Naperville Central in Week 2 looks quite a bit better after the Redhawks knocked off Naperville North on Friday.

Notre Dame, Glenbrook South and Naperville North all drop out this week after picking up losses. It wouldn’t be surprising to see any of the three back at some point later this season.

Geneva, Reed-Custer and South Elgin are the teams that just missed the cut today.

Week 7’s Super 25With record and last week’s ranking

1. Mount Carmel (6-0) 1Friday at St. Laurence

2. Loyola (6-0) 2Friday at Providence

3. Lincoln-Way East (6-0) 3Friday at No. 20 Homewood-Flossmoor

4. York (6-0) 6Friday at Hinsdale Central

5. Simeon (6-0) 5Saturday vs. Kenwood at Lane

6. Glenbard West (5-1) 4Saturday vs. Downers Grove North

7. Hersey (6-0) 7Friday at Wheeling

8. Lemont (6-0) 8Friday vs. Richards

9. Prospect (5-1) 9Friday vs. Buffalo Grove

10. Bolingbrook (4-2) 10Friday at Lockport

11. Marist (3-3) 11Friday at Montini

12. St. Rita (4-2) 12Friday vs. Marian Central

13. Warren (5-1) 10Friday vs. Waukegan

14. Maine South (4-2) 14Friday vs. Niles West

15. Crete-Monee (4-2) 15Friday at Rich

16. Joliet Catholic (5-1) 16Friday vs. Brother Rice

17. Neuqua Valley (5-1) 17Friday vs. Waubonsie Valley

18. Prairie Ridge (5-1) 19Friday vs. Dundee-Crown

19. St. Charles North (5-1) NRFriday vs. St. Charles East

20. Homewood-Flossmoor (4-2) 20Friday vs. No. 3 Lincoln-Way East

21. Wheaton North (5-1) 22Friday vs. Wheaton-Warrenville South

22. Batavia (4-2) 23Friday vs. Geneva

23. Kankakee (5-1) 24Saturday at Bloom

24. Lake Zurich (5-1) NRFriday at Lake Zurich

25. Plainfield North (6-0) NRFriday at Minooka

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Udonis Haslem is 41 years old.

LeBron James, Andre Iguodala and Carmelo Anthony each 37.

P.J. Tucker and Chris Paul? How about 36?

So when Bulls veteran forward DeMar DeRozan was reminded over the last week that he will play at the age of 33 this upcoming season, of course he went on the offensive. Which by the way, has always been better than his defense.

“As long as you take care of yourself, as long as you work, technology is completely different … It’s not like I’m Kevin Willis out here or anything like that,” DeRozan said when pressed upon the age issue, bringing up the fact that Willis retired at the age of 44. “Shout-out Kevin Willis.

“I’m just saying, there are so many ways to take care of yourself … physically, mentally, nutrition, the technology that you have for recovery. There are so many ways that you can be effective longer periods of time.”

That’s why DeRozan laughed off the idea that he can’t follow up the All-Star showing he displayed in his first season with the Bulls last year.

Especially with how much work DeRozan puts into his game not only in the offseason, but during the season.

While NBA players love to post their workouts on social media, DeRozan just loves to workout. Usually early in the morning or late at night, and always out of the view of camera phones and TikTok videos.

More importantly, DeRozan is around enough younger players throughout the league to know how they work out and maintain their recovery, and frankly he knows what he puts in is just more.

That’s why his mindset is why can’t he continue getting better?

“I never put those thoughts in my mind, saying, ‘Oh, I’m going into my 14thyear. Maybe I’m slowing down or can’t do this,’ ” DeRozan said. “I don’t even think that way. I’m trying to be the best player I can be.”

It doesn’t hurt that DeRozan is good friends with some of the older statesmen in the NBA these days.

Rewind to the summer of 2021, and DeRozan was hanging with James, feeling like he was being recruited to join “The King” in Los Angeles and become a Laker. It didn’t happen thanks to the Russell Westbrook move LA made instead, but it didn’t change the DeRozan-James relationship.

Then there’s Paul, who DeRozan speaks to often.

“I have a lot of conversations with a lot of guys that are older than me in this league, like Chris Paul,” DeRozan said. “This whole age thing that people love to put on people, it’s like why?

“You look at LeBron going into his 20thyear. It’s insane. Same conversation I had with him. I love getting older just to show people you still can get better the older you get.”

Plus, DeRozan knows if the Bulls are going to get where they expect to in the juggernaut that is now the Eastern Conference, he’s going to have to try and get better.

“I love the competitive island that the East is on,” DeRozan said. “You have to compete. For me, people get so caught up in the rankings, but you put me in a room with the best and it brings out the best in me. That’s the approach that we have to take this whole season. This is the toughest the East has been since I’ve been in the league.”

That’s another reason DeRozan can’t even think about his age or experience. The East won’t allow him to.

“As long as I got wheels on this car,” DeRozan added, “I’m going to ride it until these wheels don’t work anymore.”

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Velus Jones will make his NFL debut Sunday.

The Bears’ rookie receiver, who missed the season’s first three games because of a nagging hamstring injury, is active for Sunday’s game against the Giants.

The Bears had already ruled out running back David Montgomery (knee/ankle), cornerback Jaylon Johnson (quad) and kicker Cairo Santos, who missed practice Thursday and Friday because of a personal issue.

Safety Dane Cruikshank (hamstring), tight end Ryan Griffin (Achilles’ tendon) and linebacker Matthew Adams (hamstring) are out, too. Guard Ja’Tyre Carter is the Bears’ only healthy scratch.

The Bears drafted Jones in the third round hoping to use his rare speed on throws, runs and special teams returns. He hurt his hamstring during training camp and suffered a setback shortly before the start of the regular season. He was listed as questionable Friday after participating in a week’s worth of practices at Halas Hall.

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It was one of baseball’s greatest feel-good stories, with a Hall of Fame manager coming out of retirement to lead his old team to a World Series title.

Only, it didn’t turn out the way it was supposed to.

Tony La Russa, who was hoping to lead the White Sox to the World Series, instead is expected to announce his retirement Monday at a news conference in Chicago.

La Russa, who turns 78 on Tuesday, certainly gave it everything he had, but his heart gave out.

He planned on returning to fulfill his contract in 2023, but was in his office on Aug. 29 when he received a telephone call from his doctors. He was instructed to leave the ballpark immediately, go home, and come in the next day for testing. He was on a flight the next day back to Arizona and underwent a procedure to repair his pacemaker.

La Russa, feeling much stronger, still planned to return as manager. He flew to Oakland on Sept. 10 to attend Dave Stewart’s jersey retirement ceremony, spent time visiting with his team, and felt refreshed. He flew back on the team plane to Chicago, and watched the White Sox’s next two home games from owner Jerry Reinsdorf’s suite.

It was the last time he was with his team.

La Russa returned to Arizona and underwent more testing, and there were further procedures. The doctors sat him down and provided their expert medical opinion: He should not manage again.

Not only this season.

But ever again.

La Russa listened, and will walk away. He likely will stay in the White Sox organization as a special assistant, but those long, demanding and stressful days are over.

This is not the way he envisioned his career to end.

Baseball has long been his life, but this is no time to sacrifice his own life for it.

La Russa’s two-year stint will be widely considered a failure, but really, that’s unfair. He led the White Sox to a 93-69 record in his first year back 2021, losing to the Houston Astros in the first round.

It led to surreal expectations this season. Anything less than a World Series title would be considered a failure.

It was a disaster.

The White Sox, drowning in mediocrity all season, were unable to put together any semblance of success until interim manager Miguel Cairo took over, going 13-6. It proved to be nothing more than a mirage. They needed to sweep the Cleveland Guardians in their last home stand. They instead lost eight consecutive games, putting a merciful end to their season.

The White Sox will now be looking for their fourth manager in eight seasons. White Sox GM Rick Hahn originally wanted to hire A.J. Hinch instead of La Russa, but it would have made no difference.

They will soon begin formulating a list of managerial candidates, including everyone from Bruce Bochy to Mike Shildt to Joe Espada to George Lombard.

One man who could be the perfect fit is Carlos Beltran. The nine-time All-Star was a clubhouse leader and widely respected by everyone in his 20-year career. It’s the reason the New York Mets hired him, only to fire him before he managed a single game, when he was the only player identified in MLB’s investigation into the Astros’ 2017 cheating scandal.

The White Sox need to act boldly, and quickly, if they’re going to have any chance of winning any time soon with the youthful Guardians threatening to dominate the division.

Read more at usatoday.com

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Bears kicker Cairo Santos will not play against the Giants at MetLife Stadium because of a personal issue, the team announced Sunday morning. Veteran kicker Michael Badgley, who was signed to the practice squad and promoted to the 53-man roster Saturday, will replace Santos for Sunday’s game.

Badgley, 27, hit 18 of 21 field goals (85.7%) and 39-of-39 extra points (100%) joining the Colts midway through last season, following an injury to Rodrigo Blankenship.

Badgley grew up in Summit, N.J., which is about 30 minutes from MetLife Stadium. He kicked at the University of Miami and went undrafted in 2018. He has bounced among the Colts, Chargers, Titans and Jaguars since.

The Chargers picked him up in October 2018, and he lasted three seasons with them. He made 80% of his field goals and 95.3% of his extra points over 34 games.

Santos gave the Bears steadiness at one of their shakiest positions when he took the job in 2020. He set the franchise record that season by making 93.8% of his field goals.

In this three-season run with the Bears, he has made 60 of 66 field goals and 67 of 71 extra points (he also kicked briefly for them in 2017).

Santos made all five of his kicks — field goals from 47, 50 and 30 yards, plus two extra points — in the Bears’ 23-20 win over the Texans last week. He won the game on his 30-yarder as time expired.

Badgley will be the third replacement kicker in the NFL this season. The Colts signed Chase McLaughlin after waiving Blankenship following the season opener. McLaughlin, the former Illinois kicker, is 2-for-2 on field goals (43 and 51 yards) and 2-for-2 on PATs.

The Chiefs signed Matt Ammendola in Week 2 after Harrison Butker injured his ankle in the opener, but he was cut after missing a 34-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and a PAT in the Chiefs’ 20-17 loss to the Colts last week. The Chiefs signed Matthew Wright to replace Ammendola against the Buccaneers on Sunday.

Contributing: Jason Lieser

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Goalie Petr Mrazek wouldn’t be in Chicago this season if not for his injury woes.

The Maple Leafs only were willing to give up a first-round draft pick to get rid of him — and that first-round pick was the reason the Blackhawks were willing to take him –because of how poorly his 2021-22 season went.

And his poor season predominantly was the result of a groin injury that flared up, on and off, from training camp to the end of the season. The injury limited him to 20 appearances, during which he posted an .888 save percentage.

Now that he is with the Hawks, however, Mrazek is determined not to let injuries derail a third consecutive season. (A lower-body injury caused him to miss all but 12 games for the Hurricanes in 2020-21, too.)

”The No. 1 thing is to stay healthy,” Mrazek, 30, said last week. ”I know I can play the game. I know how to play it. I’ve been around for a while. I’m excited for this.”

Heading into the offseason back home in Czechia, Mrazek decided he ”needed to change some things” with his workout routine. He sought out and consulted several new physiotherapists to revamp his training regimen.

”I was getting a little bit more stiff than flexible, like I used to be when I was younger,” he said. ”I [started] stretching more than usual, doing different methods. Hopefully it’s going to help.”

NHL goalies are big proponents of stretching, but Mrazek now stands out among the group. Coincidentally, his new routine aligns relatively closely with Hawks strength and conditioning coach Paul Goodman’s philosophies, which emphasize mobility, elasticity and balance over traditional weightlifting.

Less than two weeks into camp, Mrazek already has noticed improvement in his flexibility, particularly when he is moving laterally. He is ending up in the same positions when making saves, but he is getting to those positions more quickly and easily.

Mrazek is optimistic that means his injury risk has decreased. He isn’t one to worry about injuries while competing, but he would prefer not to have to deal with any for a while.

”You don’t think about injuries at all once you step on the ice or [once] you’re in the gym,” he said. ”You just go as hard as you can, doing what you need to prepare. Injuries happen in any sport to a lot of people, so you can’t be focused on that.”

Hawks coach Luke Richardson said he hopes the team’s new zone-based defensive system also will help Mrazek. It might concede sizable offensive-zone possession time, but if it can keep the puck on the perimeter consistently, Mrazek may not need to make as many sudden, erratic movements that might increase his risk of injury.

”If we can’t strike and get that defensive-zone coverage [to be] aggressive early, [we want to] fall to the middle and give them the outside shots,” Richardson said. ”[Our goalies can] trust there’s no back-door, tic-tac-toe plays and seam plays. They can be solid on the short-side shots and gobble those up, and we can be strong in front of him.

”[Mrazek is] a guy who can play acrobatically, but we don’t want him doing that all the time, wasting his energy and getting out of the crease. We want him to be compact and use his quickness. Every once in a while, you’re going to need that big save, and he has the ability to do that. But if you’re asking for that a couple of times every period, that wears him out, then you lose that trust between the people playing in front of you.”

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Goalie Petr Mrazek wouldn’t be in Chicago this season if not for his injury woes.

The Maple Leafs only were willing to give up a first-round draft pick to get rid of him — and that first-round pick was the reason the Blackhawks were willing to take him –because of how poorly his 2021-22 season went.

And his poor season predominantly was the result of a groin injury that flared up, on and off, from training camp to the end of the season. The injury limited him to 20 appearances, during which he posted an .888 save percentage.

Now that he is with the Hawks, however, Mrazek is determined not to let injuries derail a third consecutive season. (A lower-body injury caused him to miss all but 12 games for the Hurricanes in 2020-21, too.)

”The No. 1 thing is to stay healthy,” Mrazek, 30, said last week. ”I know I can play the game. I know how to play it. I’ve been around for a while. I’m excited for this.”

Heading into the offseason back home in Czechia, Mrazek decided he ”needed to change some things” with his workout routine. He sought out and consulted several new physiotherapists to revamp his training regimen.

”I was getting a little bit more stiff than flexible, like I used to be when I was younger,” he said. ”I [started] stretching more than usual, doing different methods. Hopefully it’s going to help.”

NHL goalies are big proponents of stretching, but Mrazek now stands out among the group. Coincidentally, his new routine aligns relatively closely with Hawks strength and conditioning coach Paul Goodman’s philosophies, which emphasize mobility, elasticity and balance over traditional weightlifting.

Less than two weeks into camp, Mrazek already has noticed improvement in his flexibility, particularly when he is moving laterally. He is ending up in the same positions when making saves, but he is getting to those positions more quickly and easily.

Mrazek is optimistic that means his injury risk has decreased. He isn’t one to worry about injuries while competing, but he would prefer not to have to deal with any for a while.

”You don’t think about injuries at all once you step on the ice or [once] you’re in the gym,” he said. ”You just go as hard as you can, doing what you need to prepare. Injuries happen in any sport to a lot of people, so you can’t be focused on that.”

Hawks coach Luke Richardson said he hopes the team’s new zone-based defensive system also will help Mrazek. It might concede sizable offensive-zone possession time, but if it can keep the puck on the perimeter consistently, Mrazek may not need to make as many sudden, erratic movements that might increase his risk of injury.

”If we can’t strike and get that defensive-zone coverage [to be] aggressive early, [we want to] fall to the middle and give them the outside shots,” Richardson said. ”[Our goalies can] trust there’s no back-door, tic-tac-toe plays and seam plays. They can be solid on the short-side shots and gobble those up, and we can be strong in front of him.

”[Mrazek is] a guy who can play acrobatically, but we don’t want him doing that all the time, wasting his energy and getting out of the crease. We want him to be compact and use his quickness. Every once in a while, you’re going to need that big save, and he has the ability to do that. But if you’re asking for that a couple of times every period, that wears him out, then you lose that trust between the people playing in front of you.”

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SAN DIEGO — White Sox right-hander Michael Kopech had surgery Thursday to address an issue with the meniscus in his right knee, a team spokesman said Saturday before the team’s game against the Padres at Petco Park.

A source confirmed the surgery, which was performed in Los Angeles, was for a meniscus tear. The Sox said Kopech will be ready for spring training without limitations. He has joined the team in San Diego this weekend.

Kopech landed on the injured list Sept. 17 with right shoulder inflammation but has dealt with issues in both knees, including a cyst in the right one which general manager Rick Hahn said last week would be removed during the offseason. The cyst was addressed during surgery and is not expected to be an issue now, per the club.

Kopech left a start against the Rangers after 13 pitches on June 12 after he felt a pop in the left knee, but after having fluid drained he was pitching again seven days later. On Aug. 23, he went on the IL with a left knee strain.

Kopech pitched a career high 119 2/3 innings, going 5-9 with a 3.54 ERA in his first season as a starter.

Cease fire

Dylan Cease’s final start of a Cy Young Award caliber did not end well. Trying to build a portfolio that will likely come up slightly behind Justin Verlander’s, Cease allowed four runs in five-plus innings against the Padres.

Cease allowed Juan Soto’s 27th home run in the first, then strung together four scoreless innings before allowing a two-run homer to Jake Cronenworth that broke a 1-all tie in the sixth. He walked Brandon Drury and Josh Bell before getting pulled at 104 pitches.

Cease’s ERA inched up to 2.20 after entering at 2.06, the second best mark in the majors behind Verlander. He recorded his fifth strikeout of the game and his career-high 227th of the season getting Austin Nola in the fifth. He allowed four walks and five hits.

“He’s been so consistent,” acting manager Miguel Cairo said. “He came with a purpose to get better and to be good and to be an elite pitcher and that’s what he has been doing.

“He always comes with a challenge, he always comes through.”

Verlander, 39, is 17-4 with a 1.80 ERA.

Love for Pito

Jose Abreu had a rare night off. If he doesn’t return next year, the 35-year-old first baseman could have four games left in a Sox uniform. He will be a free agent after the season.

“I know, man. I really hope they sign him back,” Cairo said. “I hope he comes back and gets a chance to play for the White Sox and finish his career here, but you know how it is. It’s a business. You don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Upcoming

After Lance Lynn starts the series finale against the Padres Sunday, Johnny Cueto (Monday), Lucas Giolito (Tuesday) and Davis Martin (Wednesday) make the last three of the season against the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Elvis, home run sighting

Elvis Andrus’ leadoff homer in the first against Mike Clevinger was the Sox’ second in the last five games.

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The Blackhawks handed their defense to the kids Saturday.

Before sending a more veteran-heavy lineup Sunday to Milwaukee, the Hawks dressed five defensemen aged 22 or younger against the Red Wings.

Alec Regula (age 22), Isaak Phillips (21), Nolan Allan (19), Ethan Del Mastro (19) and Nicolas Beaudin (22) all dressed, making Jack Johnson (35) — in his unofficial Hawks debut — the lone veteran in the rotation.

It was a smart decision. Not only is the preseason intended to give prospects NHL experience, but the Hawks also need to determine soon which young defensemen will travel with them to Colorado for opening night Oct. 12.

Defensive roster battle

Seth Jones is guaranteed, obviously, to make the team. So are fellow veterans Connor Murphy –if the back injury currently holding him out of training is as minor as the Hawk have implied — and Johnson.

Caleb Jones and Riley Stillman are virtual locks, too, but the Hawks would certainly like to see both of them take steps forward. Stillman, historically a defense-first depth option, worked this summer to expand his offensive skills.

“[I spent] a lot of time on the ice, working with my skills coach to make plays coming out of my own end, tape-to-tape,” Stillman said. “[I’m] just trying to be clean that way and continue to expand my game.”

With Jake McCabe out several more weeks recovering from back surgery, that leaves two vacant roster spots on the back end. The players who ultimately earn those spots will likely both play regularly, too, as the Hawks would prefer someone like Johnson to be healthy-scratched than a prospect.

Regula, Phillips and Alex Vlasic are the three leading candidates fighting for those two spots. Ian Mitchell and Jakub Galvas would also be in the conversation if not currently sidelined by injuries (wrist and oblique, respectively).

Beaudin, meanwhile, is the only prospect defenseman no longer waiver-exempt, but he hasn’t shown much to indicate he’s ready for the NHL (and his time in the organization might be running short). Swedish free-agent signing Filip Roos will likely begin his North American adjustment in Rockford. Allan, Del Mastro and Kevin Korchinski are not AHL-eligible and thus are expected to return to their Canadian junior teams.

Of the aforementioned three leading candidates, Phillips and Regula have significantly more pro hockey experience than Vlasic, but Vlasic has perhaps the highest upside –and impressed with the Hawks late last season. There are arguments to be made for each of them.

Coach Luke Richardson said Saturday the Hawks’ roster for their preseason finale Oct. 8 at the Blues will be similar to –if not the same as — their opening-night lineup, so Phillips, Regula and Vlasic’s battle has seemingly entered its final week.

Forwards less uncertain

Given the imbalance of the Hawks’ prospect pool, as well as the waiver situation, the opening-night forward lineup is much easier to predict.

Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Max Domi, Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Johnson, Colin Blackwell, Sam Lafferty, Taylor Raddysh, Boris Katchouk, Philipp Kurashev, Jujhar Khaira, MacKenzie Entwistle and Reese Johnson are the 13 forwards most likely to make the team.

The only realistic question regards top prospect Lukas Reichel. The Hawks seem inclined to keep Reichel in Rockford as long as possible, but he has looked very good in camp — potentially good enough to force his way onto the roster. If he does stay, the Hawks could either initially keep 14 forwards or try to slip Entwistle or Reese Johnson through waivers.

After Reichel, Josiah Slavin, Mike Hardman (when he returns from his groin injury) and Dylan Sikura would be next in line.

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SAN DIEGO — When the White Sox signed many of their rising stars to long-term deals before their free-agent seasons, presumably getting them under contract for multiple years at team friendly costs, it seemed like a master stroke of good business sense.

Deals for Yoan Moncada ($70 million), Luis Robert ($50 million) Eloy Jimenez ($43 million) and Tim Anderson ($25 million) gave the players financial security with potential for even bigger deals in the future. The team got multiple players with star potential and performance value at controlled costs for multiple years.

Both sides should benefit in theory.

The Sox had done the same with pitchers Chris Sale and Jose Quintana, and their team-friendly contracts made each one valuable trade pieces which were used to acquire Moncada, Kopech, Jimenez and Dylan Cease.

The Sox banked on their young players with financial security to perform to projections and to be healthy enough to play regularly.

“We’ve got MVP and Silver Slugger candidates throughout that lineup, controllable for an extended period of time thanks to some foresight and proactive work on our part,” general manager Rick Hahn said last winter.

But now, three years after signing Jimenez to a six-year deal with club options for 2025 and ’26; two years after signing Moncada to a five-year, deal with a club option through ’25, and two years after signing Robert to a six-year contract deal with two club options through ’27, their inability to avoid injuries — and in Moncada’s case this season not play to expectations when he was healthy — has cast concerns about the contracts.

Suddenly, those deals don’t look as great as a whole as they once did.

Robert will have played in 97 of the team games and Anderson in 79 this season. Both are done for the year with wrist and finger injuries, respectively, and Jimenez, who had surgery to repair a hamstring tear in April, has played in 80 entering Saturday’s game against the Padres and will hobble around through the last six games because of it. Moncada played his 100th game Saturday.

After playing in 56 of 60 games during the abbreviated 2020 season due to COVID-19, Robert played in only 68 games last season. Jimenez played in 55 and Moncada in 144, which by these trends looks like a gold standard but shouldn’t be.

Moncada set his performance standard in 2019 when he batted .315/.367/.549 with 25 homers and a .915 OPS, essentially giving the club motivation to invest. But after signing his deal, Moncada was afflicted by COVID to unknown extents and batted .225/.320/.385 with six homers in 52 games in 2020 and .225/.320/.385 with 14 homers in 2020. Hamstring issues have been problematic throughout, and an oblique strain on the last day of spring training this season set the tone for a bad year.

When the Sox weigh pros and cons this offseason of whether to re-sign Jose Abreu, 35, whose contract is up, they will have to consider his age as well as his diminished power in 2022. They will also consider his 180 hits which ranked second in the American League through Friday, and his durability. While watching almost everyone else go on and off the IL or get occasional days off to rest legs, Abreu stays healthy and insists on playing through aches and pains. He played all 60 games during his 2020 MVP season after playing 159 the year before. Abreu played in 152 last season and leads the team with 154 in 2022. AJ Pollock is next with 134.

It’s not out of the question that, in the end, Moncada, Robert, Jimenez and Anderson collectively make it all worthwhile, but for the first time, the idea of trading one of them to revitalize and reconfigure the roster could surface this offseason. The problem for the Sox is, trade values can’t be viewed what they once were because durability issues.

As a group, the aforementioned four were available for 55 percent of the disappointing Sox’ games this season, a good place to start when identifying what went terribly wrong in 2022.

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