Grading the White Sox: Jake Diekman

At midseason, the SSS staff graded the 46-46 White Sox, from the head of the class Dylan Cease down to Dallas Keuchel. We invented a WARsss metric that could very well be just a cute way to trot out our special site grades — but really for all you know could be the product of years of research in a stats lab.

Our expanded report card will take us through everyone who saw time in uniform for the White Sox, plus some front-office types. Most of our writers will take on a couple of players, with final grades and short writeups, running through the end of November. Enjoy!

Jake Diekman
Left-Handed Relief Pitcher
Midseason: N/A
Final: -2.366 sssWAR

As the trade deadline was approaching and fans were salivating at the prospect of who the Chicago White Sox would end up with, did anyone think we’d be lucky enough to be graced with the presence of the lefty specialist Jake Diekman as our lone trade deadline prize?

I know gauging from fan sarcasm that it was going to be tough getting rid of backup catcher Reese McGuire for such a specialist, but we were going to have to make do. And perhaps Diekman’s arrival would be the kick-start to more trades that would push the Chicago White Sox to the postseason? Heh.

Off the field, we received a player who is a superhero working with children who have IBD and started The Gut It Out Foundation. On the field, we received the villain posting an ERA of 6.52 in 26 games with a record of 0-3. These are not the stats that you want coming out of a trade. And those results were made only worse by Diekman being the only player acquired at the 2022 MLB trade deadline.

In most playoff-push scenarios, if things don’t work out (see: César Hernández, 2021) the team can move on. But in this case, the White Sox are on the hook for one more year of Diekman’s services, at a hefty, $4 million price tag.

I’m not positive who did the scouting on this trade, but the idea that Diekman could be a lone piece to push this team to the promised land is one of the worst jokes of the White Sox 2022 season. I’m a huge fan of lefty specialists, but after this season, that term shall not be applied to Diekman any longer.

Maybe with a lot of offseason help and a fresh new season, Diekman can return to form. Hey, maybe he’ll be so good next year that the White Sox won’t need to make any trades during the 2023 season!

2022 White Sox Grades

Jake Diekman, LHRP, -2.366
Rick Hahn, GM, -2.401
Bennett Sousa, LHRP, -2.425
Frank Menechino, BAT COACH, -2.469
Yasmani Grandal, C/DH, -2.549
Leury García, UTIL, -2.7
Adam Haseley, OF, -3.146
Joe McEwing, 3B Coach, -3.167
Ryan Burr, RHRP, -3.4
Tony La Russa, MGR, -3.5
Dallas Keuchel, LHSP, -3.9