Can Tim Anderson take his game to another level? 4 questions about the Chicago White Sox shortstop heading into 2021.

This is the seventh in a series of position-by-position analyses of the Chicago White Sox after the 2020 season.

Here are four questions about Sox shortstops.

1. What numbers illustrate the ways Tim Anderson elevated his game to another level in 2020?

After a breakout 2019 season in which he led the majors with a .335 batting average, Tim Anderson built on that success in 2020. Here are a few of the more impressive hitting numbers from his phenomenal season.

“These are the moments you want to be in,” Anderson said after the 6-4 loss in Game 3 on Oct. 1 in Oakland, Calif. “Who’s going to come up big? Who’s going to get that big hit? It’s all about those moments, and you never want to turn away from those moments. That’s how you stamp your name, that’s how you carry your team as well.

“Just got to keep going, continue to be a great teammate, continue to lead and try to guide these guys in the right direction. Hopefully we’ll be having this same conversation next year but on the other end.”

The way he rebounded in the postseason is a good sign for the future in terms of excelling on the big stage and making adjustments.

2. What type of spark did Tim Anderson provide at the top of the lineup?

Tim Anderson led off the Aug. 12 game in Detroit with a home run.

“I definitely wanted to start the party,” he said after the game.

It was one of three leadoff homers this season for Anderson, tied for second in the AL in that category.

Anderson set the table throughout the season. When leading off an inning, he had a .361/.384/.651 slash line (30-for-83) with five home runs.

And even though he missed time because of a right groin strain, Anderson tied for first in the AL with 45 runs in 49 games. He joined Johnny Mostil (135 in 1925) and Frank Thomas (106 in 1994) as the only Sox players to lead the league in runs.

The Sox went 5-5 while Anderson was on the injured list in early August. They won 14 of the next 18 when he returned.

Anderson might have summed up his impact best after the 4-for-5 performance Aug. 12 against the Tigers at Comerica Park.

That was the case all season.

3. How did Tim Anderson do defensively?

Tim Anderson put an emphasis on improving defensively after leading the majors with 26 errors in 2019. And he showed signs of improvement, finishing with six errors.

His defensive runs saved, according to Fangraphs.com, went from minus-12 to plus-3.

“I want to continue to get better and keep learning this game as I grow,” Anderson said Sept. 14 of the defensive strides he has made.

4. What is the depth chart like behind Tim Anderson?

While Tim Anderson was on the injured list Aug. 1-10 with a right groin strain, Leury Garcia made nine starts at shortstop and Danny Mendick made one.

The Sox hold a $3.5 million team option on Garcia for 2021. Mendick filled in at second and shortstop before being optioned to Schaumburg on Sept. 17.

Yolmer Sanchez, who is arbitration-eligible, made one start at shortstop when Anderson rested the day after the Sox clinched their first playoff spot since 2008.

Anderson missed more than a month in 2019 with a sprained right ankle. He batted .357 in the 53 games after his return to join Luke Appling (.388 in 1936) as the only Sox players to lead the majors in batting.

And as 2020 showed, having a healthy Anderson in the lineup is critical to the team’s success.