Strictly by the numbers, projections for the 2023 season aren’t all White Sox and Cubs fans could wish.
Projection systems suggest the answers won’t be enough to satisfy fans. The PECOTA system at Baseballprospectus.com projects the Sox at 79-83, a step down from the 81-81 last year from a team that had been expected to be a World Series contender. PECOTA has the Cubs at 76-86, just two games better than the 2021 team.
It’s a similar story at Fangraphs.com. Projected standings and playoff odds pages find the Sox at 80-82 with an 18.6% chance of winning the American League Central.