The White Sox have officially activated outfielder Eloy Jimenez from the 60-day injured list, according to a team announcement. Infielder Jake Burger was optioned to Triple-A to open up room on the roster.
Jimenez required surgery after suffering a ruptured left pectoral tendon near the end of Spring Training, and he will now return at the shorter end of his initial four-to-five month recovery timetable. He began a minor league rehab assignment earlier this month and has already banked 12 games in the minors to make up for all the lost time. Luis Robert also began a rehab assignment this week, after Robert went on the injured list in May with a hip flexor strain.
Chicago has built a commanding lead in the AL Central even without Jimenez and mostly without Robert, as the White Sox have thrived due to excellent starting pitching and a lineup that is still one of the best in baseball. A mix of somewhat unheralded veterans and youngsters have filled in admirably for Jimenez, Robert, and other injured White Sox like Nick Madrigal and (more recently) Yasmani Grandal. Rookie Andrew Vaughn has become a fixture in left field, and La Russa said that Vaughn will remain in the lineup as either a left fielder or DH, possibly splitting time at the two positions with Jimenez.
Over his first two MLB seasons, the 24-year-old Jimenez did nothing but mash, hitting .276/.321/.527 with 45 home runs over 730 plate appearances. Jimenez finished fourth in AL Rookie Of The Year voting in 2019 and he won a Silver Slugger last year as he helped lead the White Sox into the postseason. With the AL Central title looking like a distinct possibility for 2021, Chicago’s chances of taking another step forward in the playoffs will look a lot better with Jimenez, Robert, and (eventually) Grandal all back in the mix, besides what other acquisitions might be in the works at the trade deadline.
Hot diggity dog ziggity boom!
Tony has this team running full steam ahead. Saw Eloy and he looked a little heavy. Let’s see what happens. Great news for a great team.
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Well, the Burger showcase experiment didn’t go too well. You might say it ‘sizzled out’ lol. He can’t play defense very well because his movement is limited. And there’s that huge hole in his swing. But the Sox tried to fool someone, just not this time lol.
@Dogbone
What are you talking about? That has to be one of your worst comments I’ve ever seen, and that says a lot. If anything, he was a success in his limited time.
0.4 bWar in 15 games (a third of those games in limited duty) and 122 OPS+. Yeah, those are terrible numbers. And he made some good snags at 3B, but you must’ve missed those.
I definitely want to see more of him in the future (if he doesn’t get traded).
i think Dogbones brain has turned to Dogs–t !
Leave it to you to win S.tupid of the day, and it’s a sometime daily comment from you that just shows your lack of a human brain. , keep it going ,
HAHAHAHAha, thanks for the lol Dogbone! Keep the entertainment coming bro.
Hey, Dogbone! Be careful of what you don’t wish for. The Karma police may have a surprise for you come Friday’s 3pm trade deadline.
It’s not all that likely considering the city rivalry, but it would be very fitting if Jed Hoyer insisted on and received Jake Burger from Rick Hahn and the White Sox in a potential deal this week. The White Sox could have serious interest in any number of the Cubs available ‘stars’ this week and Burger would be just the type of hitter they could have interest in, especially as a cost controlled replacement for soon to be departing Kris Bryant at 3B. Burger might also make sense as replacement at 1B for Anthony Rizzo.
Burger is just missing his confidence at this point. All he needs is a photoshop makeover like Lisa Burger had and he’ll be ready to work it!
What are you smoking? Dog***t?
Batting cleanup tonight!
DH!
Eloy 3-run HR in 2nd game back!!!!
Yay!!!
Clutch HR by Eloy, two outs in the 8th inning to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 5-3 lead. He added another hit earlier while also making two nice catches in LF to help prevent more early damage against SP Dylan Cease.
Applauding…
Imagine an outfield of Jimenez, Robert and Judge.
I’m really impressed with how well they’ve played considering all their injuries.
Pitching is still standing, Hardly any trouble from them for the most part.
The Sox might want to add an impacting bullpen arm by Friday’s trade deadline. The team has a solid 5-man rotation, perhaps even 6-deep with Michael Kopech potentially being stretched out over the next two months. Only 4 starters are needed in the playoffs which would give Tony La Russa two added bullpen arms in October, likely Dylan Cease and Kopech. Those two, along with closer Liam Hendriks and southpaws Aaron Bummer and Garrett Crochet would make for a formidable back end of the bullpen.
If the Sox add one more arm, I hope it is a proven veteran difference maker with postseason experience. The front office should kick the tires at the top of the available market with Craig Kimbrel and work their way down to a reliever like Brad Hand, going no lower than Joakim Soria or Alex Colome.
Daniel Hudson from Nats is a rental having a good year. He and 1 more bullpen arm would be great to add this week.
Kimbrel? Ok Aaron, the conversation starts with Kelly. That’s just the beginning of the return for Kimbrel. Why do you think they already lost, on Frazier.
You might make a quality GM.
Pirates wanted Kopech, Crochet & Vaughn
For who??
I’ll just suggest that the entire Pirates 25 man roster would not be enough for Kopech, Crochet, and Vaughn
For Willie Stargell and Roberto Clemente.
@cwsAscension
Daniel Hudson was drafted by the White Sox in 2008 and fast-tracked to their active roster 15 months later before being dealt to the Diamondbacks at the 2010 summer trade deadline for Edwin Jackson.
The White Sox have shown a fondness for reuniting with their former players. They have also been connected to Diamondback infielder Eduardo Escobar the past couple of weeks, another player who started his pro career with the White Sox after signing as a 2006 international free agent. Ironically enough, Escobar was dealt to the Twins in yet another summer deadline deal for a veteran starting pitcher, this time in 2012 for Francisco Liriano.
Another lame brain comment, I mean they settled for 3 minor league people not heard of
Dum.b comment
The moderator should wipe you off this site, and I’ll donate the toile.t paper
A rotation this good- and this healthy- makes up for a lot of shortcomings. Agreed with Aaron that another shutdown reliever would provide the most bang for the buck.
LETS GO! Going to the Sox game now, wish it were today…. this is great news for Sox fans and baseball fans!
If he comes back and doesn’t produce right away, people will say it’s because Tony’s mean treatment of Mercedes is weighing heavily on Jimenez’s mind. If he comes back and produces, it will have nothing to do with Tony at all.
Absolutely no one will say this. Bad take.
I don’t know, I know some cubs fans who will def say something like this. They blame tony for every thing.
Hilarious!
With silly comments like that you are intellectually weak.
#managersdontmatter
he is right. the team is 18 over with a AAA outfield and is running away with the division. mercedes was 1/26 going into the hr at bat. mercedes and the fans reaction is 100% the entitlement generation.
The boomers are the original entitled generation
You’re not wrong.
Don’t make up numbers – your point is fine, but 1/26 isn’t even close to being correct. He was hitting .360 at the time and 8/26 going into the hr at bat.
Don’t forget all the injuries it has caused. Both Madrigal and Grandal got hurt after the Yermin incident. Obviously a direct link.
Why would Eloy coming back and producing have anything to do with Tony? The guy already raked with Rick Renteria as his manager.
The first pre-trade deadline addition is huge, one that didn’t cost the White Sox front office a single asset. That said, don’t stop now boys! Go get Adam Frazier or one of the pure rentals to replace 2B Nick Madrigal down the stretch and into the postseason. One more proven and playoff tested veteran bullpen arm would also be nice.
The White Sox would also be wise to add a veteran insurance option at catcher like Jonathan Lucroy. Yasmani Grandal is expected back in another month or so but the team’s catching depth is very thin right now with Zack Collins and Seby Zavala behind the dish. Neither offers much offense. An injury to one of them in the next month would leave the team extremely vulnerable. Why not just sign Lucroy back as an insurance policy? He was just outrighted back to AAA for the second time this season by the Braves. Lucroy has ample MLB service time and refused the second assignment and is now a free agent. He performed well for the Sox this past spring as a minor league NRI before they released him in favor of all-hit / no defense Yermin Mercedes. If Collins or Zavala get hurt, Mercedes is not a viable option to replace either behind the plate.
Get Lucroy on the team asap as the right-handed platoon partner with Collins and let Zavala be the insurance policy at AAA until Grandal returns. If the Sox need a DH down the stretch due to injuries they could always promote Mercedes. Few Sox fans want to see Yerminator behind the dish.
Looking for backup Catchers eh? Are you interested in Danny Jansen? Or Reese McGuire?
If so… have I got a deal for you??!!
There is no doubt that the Blue Jays have some depth at catcher. Adding one mid-season is the issue, especially if that catcher would need to take on a formidable role as a starter or as a semi-regular in a platoon.
Lucroy was with the White Sox through most of their spring training. He was released near the end when the team opted to keep good hit / no glove Yermin Mercedes as their #3 catcher. Lucroy put in a lot of extra work with the pitching staff because of the early camp injury to Yasmani Grandal. All reports suggested that Lucroy had a positive working relationship with the White Sox pitchers. He also showed some hitting prowess.
Lucroy had a steep drop-off in his MLB career that was widely attributed to a neck injury. He finally opted to have herniated disc replacement surgery following the 2019 season, a procedure similar to what Tiger Woods had in his comeback attempt. Lucroy finally felt fully healthy heading into the 2021 season. He called the White Sox because of his respect for manager Tony La Russa and also because of his new coaching hire, catching guru Jerry Narron who was in Milwaukee with Lucroy when he was regarded as one of the best framers and blockers in the game.
There was an excellent in-depth article from The Athletic this past spring in which White Sox beat writer James Fegan interviewed Lucroy and the reasons why he chose the White Sox in the hopes of rekindling his MLB career (theathletic.com/2376333/2021/02/09/chicago-white-s…). Perhaps those wishes can come true one more time.
The White Sox move to DEFCON 3!
This is of course great news. And with the lead we have there’s no pressure to be in top form on day one. I like how Sheets has been playing but he should be the first piece of the Adam Frazier offer. Sheets, Stiever and a lower level lottery ticket.
No, Sheets stays.
Why? He’s hitting.224. He didn’t tear it up in the minors. I know he had the walk-off, and that was awesome. But he’s not playing over Eloy he’s not over Robert. I like Engel’s defense.
Frazier is a legit hitter that also fills an immediate need at 2B.
Maybe because he has an .855 OPS with 5 HR in only 58 ABs?
He’s hitting .270 with an OPS over 1 vs RHP. The Sox have problems vs RHP, Sheets helps with that. He cannot hit lefties at all, weak numbers in minors vs LHP as well. He should platoon only. But he has hit righties pretty darn well, both on the Sox and at AAA.
Sheets has been nice but is a platoon bat who is weak defender. No spot for him with Eloy on board.
You can carry three guys who should be DHing on roster.
Wouldn’t matter. I doubt that nets Frazier. Might get Escobar or Schoop.
With the success of the White Sox any regrets about Tatis still?
He ck no!!
Schoop would be best for White Sox. Cheap to acquire, big bat at 2nd base. Madrigal is Sox 2nd baseman for future years to come
Never was. Tatis was 16 year old skinny kid & wasn’t in Top 300 prospects list. Freak thing happened to him. Once in a lifetime
@mlbnyyfan
Yes and no.
The yes part is obvious.
The no part: the after-effects of the Tatis trade is what led to the much-needed rebuild. Tatis would’ve been great for the Sox, but they still might have hung around .500 all these years. And I doubt Reinsdorf would’ve dumped the money needed to turn the Sox into a contender with Tatis on the team.
Don’t get me wrong, I would love to see Tatis in a Sox uniform. And as much as he’s been great for baseball, I still cringe every time he does something newsworthy (which is practically every night).
The Sox blew it on Tatis and Trout (they were the team who picked a CF bust just before the Angels picked Trout). Possibly two of the best players of our generation slipping through the Sox fingers. Gotta love it. At least the Sox did an incredible job with the rebuild. Eloy, Robert, Yoan, Vaughn, Madrigal, Grandal, Kopech, Giolito, Cease, Crochet, Kuechel, and Lynn. Yeah, you could do worse than that.
Tatis who?
“Sheets, Stiever and a lower level lottery ticket” might not be good enough to get a deal done for Adam Frazier but it would be a severe overpay for a pure rental like Eduardo Escobar or Jonathan Schoop.
So much for Adam Frazier joining the White Sox. The Padres just traded for him. As the ‘Hawk” might say, “He gone, dadgummit!”
Kimbrel sure would look good in the 8th for us. Our farm system is just so weak
@stevenebraska
Def not by himself. But a package wit Stiever may have done it. I mean, look what the Pirates got for him. It wasn’t anything special.
Padres just got Frazier
Javier Baez can play second. He’s the anti-Madrigal but if he heats up in the post season, watch out!
Not sure what it would take to get him for 50 or 60 games with no compensation when he walks. If the Cubs don’t move him and give him the QO, they get a compensatory pick which is probably worth a 40 or 45 value prospect.
I’m quite relieved actually. One, that they did not overpay for Frazier. But two, that he is not going to become their answer to RF next year. He is a plus at 2b obviously, but probably below average offensively as a right fielder, and would have been an awkward fit for this team when Madrigal comes back. In any case, I would have preferred the Sox give up less than it would have taken to get Fraizer for Escobar or someone else. With Frazier off the table, hopefully they can set their sights on some bullpen help, which is probably way more important for their success anyway.
The Padres gave up very little to get him.
And if you are so worried about his fit next year, the team would have always had option of trading him in offseason, and recouped prospects or used him in bigger deal.
True, they could have flipped him after the season, but more than likely Jerry would have used him as justification not to spend on a RF, yet again.
At any rate I’m a bit surprised they have not made any deals so far. Even if they got Escobar or a decent 2b, I’m not sure it matters all that much if they don’t do something about the bullpen. I’d like to see them add two proven relievers, but they need to get one first. I sure hope they do at least that much. Tepera or Chafin on the Cubs would be a start, better yet both would be great as one is a righty, the other a lefty.
Getting real tired of the JR rhetoric. I might expect it from a Cubs fan which is hilarious in light of the tight-wad spending by the Ricketts the past couple of seasons as their window to contend began to close. From a White Sox fan, and there are still too many of them, the notion of Jerry not spending, especially smartly, is nonsense.
The White Sox ability to lock up most of their young core players to smart extensions has been exemplary. The team has also hit a couple of HR’s in the international market by outbidding everyone else for Cubans Jose Abreu and Luis Robert with a few more on the way. They’ve also engaged at the top end of the FA market a few times only to fall short with their bids (Masahiro Tanaka, Manny Machado) or sometimes because the player simply preferred another destination when their offer was best (Zack Wheeler).
The White Sox have also shown a willingness to ‘overpay’, for some FA’s, at least according to some of the experts here, with Dallas Keuchel and Yasmani Grandal being the most recent examples. That doesn’t even include the FA contract given to Abreu following the 2019 season which most fans, including many on the Southside, were widely critical of. Abreu then proceeded to reward the faithful (and faithless!) with an MVP 2020 season that also saw their beloved return to the postseason for the first time since 2008 and on the heels of a painstaking rebuild that was long overdue.
And yet their payroll is 15th. That is a bottom line number that cannot lie. They are right in the middle, in a supposedly all in year. After being dead last in 2018, and 26th in 2019. JR is also the 10th richest owner, and yet you defend him, rather than recognize that you and other loyal fans deserve better. From an owner that can afford better. Even the Cubs are 12th. A payroll is not the all end determiner of who wins the World Series, yet no team has won it with one lower than 12th in the past decade.
I made one little comment in reference to their RF choices the past couple years, it was not directed at you, and you blabber 3 paragraphs even after I told you it was best we ignore each other months ago. I really don’t care if you are tired of anything I post, as you stated. I have no interest in debating you bro, and I certainly do not care what you think. No disrespect or offense, but lighten up and please ignore me. I have not replied to a direct comment of yours aside from this one, or read them for that matter, in months (unless by mistake). Nothing I write is directed at you. I don’t post here looking to argue and get pissed off at people who disagree with me, and then attack them, or try to tell them what they should or should not post. Believe and write what you will, and peace to you anyway, but please stop replying to me – again. If you can’t handle ignoring what I post and not replying, clearly you have issues.
The White Sox 2021 payroll is 15th because of a predominately young roster that includes many of those smart contract extensions I was referring to. The key veterans on the roster were all premium FA signings that include Dallas Keuchel, Liam Hendriks, Yasmani Grandal and their own Jose Abreu. Another veteran, ace Lance Lynn was traded for and then extended with yet another smart contract.
If your skin is not thick enough to handle an intelligent criticism just go ahead and mute me like some other White Sox fans have already done. Just know that I refuse to mute anyone on this site including the obnoxious Cubs trolls.
It has nothing to do with thick skin, I don’t enjoy petty arguments with rigidly opinionated and long winded people.
I have ignored you. And politely asked you to stop responding to my posts once before, which for some reason you did not. We’re both adults, and Sox fans that want them to win at the end of the day, in spite of different opinions, right? No need for conflict, just ignore each other, pretty simple. Neither of us needs this back and forth nonsense. So let’s just ignore each other from now on, capice? Not that hard. Please honor that so we can ignore each other in peace going forward. Cheers.
Sure thing pal. I will be happy to forfeit my First Amendment rights on a site that I support financially so I can meet your conditions. Like I said, if you have a problem with me just click on mute if you insist on me “ignoring” you.
In the meantime, I will continue to read and potentially comment on any post I choose, including yours. Fact is, I agree with your takes more often than not. I have even ‘liked’ a couple of your comments on this thread while also adding to one in a positive fashion. The ball’s in your court, but I refuse to submit to your notion of ‘censorship’. 🙂
I don’t like to add to the bad energy of this world. There is plenty of it without adding to it needlessly. I think talking about first amendment rights in response to someone who simply does not wish to argue or communicate directly with you is a bit laughable. You were the one trying to tell me not to express my opinion about Reinsdorf in the first place. Consider it done though, I had not muted anyone on this site until now, but will do so now.
Hope you enjoyed Eloy’s game tonight, and can find some inner peace. I mean no disrespect but accepting that differences of opinion exist and letting it go at that will make you happier in the long run that compulsively arguing with people who don’t want to get into it with you. I have not argued with anyone on here but you. I would find it difficult to believe the reverse is true. I hope the Sox season goes the way we both want it to in October, and that you enjoy it. Sincerely. Best to you, peace.
I suppose you won’t be seeing this comment now, but amen to your first and last thoughts bro. The stuffin the middle and the notion of me being a compulsive arguer couldn’t be more wrong, at least among the people who really know me. I’m from the teach and preach school more than the fight club but I do relish a good debate now and then. but only with informed people, like yourself! 🙂
Doubt he gets a QO. Is he really worth $18M? He may just take the money. The flip side of Baez is that if he’s cold, he can be awful.
Baez is a plus defender with a slightly above average bat and above average power despite the K rate over his career as a middle infielder. He averages 3.2 WAR/600 PA for his career. He’s 28.
He will absolutely get a QO if the Cubs don’t move him because $18M with no long term risk is a bargain for that guy and you get another chance to trade him next year.
White Sox can’t play the tigers or twins In playoffs . Will get knocked out early . Giolito walking the ballpark or their 10 strikeouts a game by their hitters . Jiminez looks like Adam Dunn or Dave Kingman in outfield
Found the cubs fan
Uh, ok. Been huffing again, huh?
You know who else they won’t be able to play in the playoffs? The Cubs. Have fun not watching your team play playoff baseball.
Mikel—what’s the purpose of that? First of all, when they play the Rays, Astros, or whomever they don’t have to set the world on fire—they only have to win 3 of 5 or 4 of 7. Their schedule and division just happens to include those teams and nobody could have predicted what happened to the Twins this year.
Take all your money and head to Vegas if you’re so sure they will get knocked out early.
You just experienced the best 6-7 years of your baseball life (while the other team was down)—-how about enjoying that memory, please.
The White Sox have one of the highest run differentials in baseball, but a negative run differential (-10) vs. teams with .500 records.
They are a team that is absolutely beating up on bad baseball teams and struggling mightily against contenders.
The White Sox are going to need to figure out how to beat contenders if they want to succeed in the playoffs.
Or, and I’m just tossing ideas out, they could play healthy for the 1st time all year and see what happens
Jimenez is a solid bat but really needs to be the dh most days moving forward. Sox have a big enough lead, they can give him some run in left but just not sure he can play defense at all.
Eloy may be able to play D, barely well enough to be a below average outfielder, but can he do so without being a danger to himself and others? He was on the DL twice in 2019, once for running into another player, the other time a wall. Then this year on a ball so far over the fence that no other MLB outfielder would have gotten injured on.
I think him being in the outfield is pure nonsense and stupidity, personally. It should not take another injury for them to learn their lesson with him. Vaughn is at least as good and probably better defensively. Aside from giving Vaughn an off day, playing Eloy in left makes the team worse, not better. Let him DH and get used to that, it’s his future in baseball if he wants to be healthy enough to play.
I’m with you. Eloy Jimenez is 6’4″ and a decent enough athlete for his 240lb body. He’s not the first player to resist becoming a full time DH early on his MLB career. The White Sox currently have an MVP first baseman in Jose Abreu who had a similar desire to remain on the field. With Abreu turning 35 next January and only under team control through 2022, why not groom Jimenez to be the White Sox next first baseman? That job was supposed to belong to Andrew Vaughn but he looks to be the better option in LF over Jimenez.
Of course, just because Abreu can become a free agent after the 2022 season doesn’t mean that he won’t still be with the only MLB team he’s ever played for. It’s pretty much a given that he will be a White Sox ‘lifer’ as a player and then their team ‘ambassador’ once he retires. Clearly there will still need to be some mixing and matching with the 1B/DH position beyond 2022 but considering Abreu’s age come 2023 he would likely defer most of his 1B time to Jimenez and be ready to accept the primary role of DH.
They should see if Eloy can play 1B. Not now, but start training him in offseason.
As you mentioned, he moves well for his size and would be a massive target.
Vaughn looks like a keeper in LF – he is slightly below average playing a position he is still learning, and will only get better. He was supposed to be Abreu’s replacement, so might as well see if you can get that out of Eloy.
The White Sox have been down this road in the past including with HOF slugger Frank Thomas who eventually was moved off of 1B despite his reluctance to become a full time DH. Thomas was extremely poor defensively which also included a well below average arm that often caused problems with Mark Buehrle pick-offs, sac bunts to 1B, 3-6-3 double plays and relay cut-off throws around the infield. It’s not as if Thomas wasn’t a decent enough athlete. After all, he had also played some tight end at Auburn early on in his college career.
Jimenez also possesses some athleticism. He clearly had enough mobility to be signed as an outfielder and not just a first baseman out of the Dominican Republic. He also played RF early on in his Cubs minor league career which suggest his arm was average to plus. Jimenez has bulked up considerably since he was signed by the Cubs at 16 to a $2.8MM bonus as the top international FA from the 2012-2013 class (mlbtraderumors.com/2013/08/cubs-to-sign-eloy-jimen…). The article went so far as to list his weight then at 200 lbs. His current weight is 240 lbs per his Baseball Reference link.
Bottom line: Jimenez figures to be just fine at 1B with his height and athleticism. He seems much better equipped to handle the position longer term than the ‘Big Hurt’. The biggest concern with Eloy might be his knack for getting hurt in collisions, be it walls, baserunners and even his own teammates on the diamond. lol
If I’m Hahn I’m watching what happens with the Nats this week and if Scherzer makes a start and is healthy. Adding Scherzer would allow you to do several things. You could move Cease to the pen or go to a 6 man rotation to take some wear and tear off the starters. The recent promotion of Adolfo to AAA is with out a doubt a showcase as trade bait and you can build a deal around him without giving up to much more since Scherzer is a FA and is still owed a good sum for the remainder of the season.
Interesting idea, almost out of the realm of possibility though. Surely he will cost a ton. I’m sure Hahn is looking at relievers with experience. That is a much more straightforward way to address their bullpen than taking a young pitcher with as little experience as Cease and assume he can seamlessly transition to the bullpen as an effective reliever. No doubt getting even two effective relievers would cost way less in prospect cost than Scherzer.
There would be great benefit from getting Scherzer in preventing him from going to the Red Sox, Astros, or Yankees. I just don’t see it though.
Cease will be in rotation for years to come somewhere if Sox give up on him. Ace in waiting
They don’t need a starter. They need bullpen help.
It’s not an easy transition to take a starter and turn them into a relief pitcher, especially when you are doing so with a guy who has more or less been an effective starter all season. He may not respond well as a bullpen arm.
If they really wanted to go that route, it would make more sense to go with a six-person rotation, and push up certain starts as needed depending on the matchup, or even skip starts with the back-end as available.
But they really don’t need a starter. They need another bat, preferably at 2b, possibly two relievers, and maybe another catcher.
Makes no sense to add another starter, especially a high-priced one.
No chance in Hell Sox get Scherzer. You poster has a better chance of being in Sox rotation than Scherzer. W. Sox don’t acquire big time starters, they trade them away for high end youthful talent. That you can put in the bank. And secondly Max wouldn’t OK a deal to Southside
I had already suggested this possibility, especially if the White Sox hit on a blockbuster trade this week to secure a premium and ‘controllable’ infielder like Whit Merrifield or even Max Scherzer’s teammate Trea Turner. Any such deal would most assuredly involve a young White Sox MLB arm or two from among Dylan Cease, Michael Kopech or Garrett Crochet.
Btw: Whether Cease gets dealt or not, he is likely to be in the White Sox postseason pen provided the rotation remains healthy down the stretch. Only 4 starters are needed in the playoffs and I’d guess that Tony La Russa will roll with ‘veterans’ Lance Lynn, Carlos Rodon, Lucas Giolito and Dallas Keuchel. There’s a nice balance there with RHP and LHP, to say nothing of the different looks each provides to opposing hitters. Of the 5 current SP’s, Cease would be best suited for bullpen duty with a power arm that might be used late in games or as long man if a SP struggles or has a health issue. There will also be no cockamamie man on second base rule to start an extra-inning frame in the postseason which could result in longer contests and where a stretched out arm like Cease’s could come in handy.
I hope the White Sox swing big and cash in on their assets, but I don’t see any trades being “built around” Adolfo for a player of Scherzer’s caliber…. Maybe starting with Cespedes, Kelley, Sheets, or Burger….. Adolfo to AAA is not trade bait/showcase…. whether they intend to trade him or not, Adolfo earned the promotion with his quality play and the move is part of his natural progression and development. If not for injuries he would have already been at AAA or MLB level
Just get Scherzer. Moves Cease to the bullpen. Take on the whole contract, lessen the cost.
Schererville on last leg of career. Injuries are becoming a problem with him.
The guy has averaged almost 29 starts/per, for FOURTEEN years, and that’s counting 2020 where he only started 12 games. Take 2020 out of it, and were talking 30 for 13 straight years. He’s definitely getting older, but to say injuries are becoming a problem is a bit of a reach. Any pitcher his age is a risk to trade for, but when you’re talking about a proven, reliable HOFer, the risk is minimized. If you think you can win a title, but you’re one starter away, ante up and get Max Scherzer. Team control is what, 6 years? Maybe your prospect was over-hyped? Flags fly forever.
@Zac
Agree Scherzer is the man, but the Sox are not one starter away. They are a 2b and a couple bullpen additions away. I love Scherzer but he is just not what they need, at all.
Scherzer is a difference maker for any team competing for a world series…. I agree that bullpen and 2B is the more pressing need for White Sox, but if you are cashing in your trade assets then I say go for a difference making talent like Scherzer or Kimbrel…. plugging an Escobar or Schoop in at 2B doesn’t elevate your team, and I’m not sure that Trevor Story or Javier Baez does either…. Go big right? Nothing more valuable than Scherzer on the trade market right now
Why would we do that?
This confirms Braves over White Sox NEXT year.
@48-team MLB
Why? I’m not following.
Dont drink the Gatorade Eloy. LaRussa spikes it with Jameson
Great, another lame LaRussa alcoholic joke. This may come as a shock, but jokes do get less funny every time you hear (or read) them. There were a few good LaRussa jokes back in January or February, but this joke had no chance of being funny even back then.
Just take the series win and hope the Brewers get red hot in October.
Your joke has been pulled over and deemed impaired
he’s alive?
If this team can stay healthy….lookout
They only have to stay healthy in one area—on the mound—there are only two teams in baseball that have five guys with more than 15 starts each. The White Sox and Red Sox—amazingly those teams each have five guys with 17 or more starts each.
Teams can survive injuries if they don’t have to go eight deep into their rotation.
Pitching still is the key to this game—that will never change.
@mike127
I agree, especially in October.
It’s great to see Eloy back in Chicago much sooner than planned. Especially since it was feared he’d be out for the season back in April.
I would’ve liked to see the Sox get Frazier, but it’s not a big deal that they didn’t get him. They will most likely get 3 huge boosts to the lineup in the next 3 weeks. With that, it’s no longer imperative to add to the offense. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem if they upgrade offensively, but I don’t think it’s any longer necessary. I agree the moves they need to make is upgrade the pen.
It didn’t seem like the Pads gave up much for Frazier. Maybe this helps the Sox in getting a 2B upgrade cheaply. I wonder if the reason they didn’t get Escobar a few weeks ago is AZ wanted too much in return (like Vaughn or Kopech). If so, good luck AZ in getting a nice return for him now.
As for the Pads, it seems like a strange move for them to make. I don’t follow them closely, but it seems like they have too many mouths to feed. Though, I suppose you can never have enough All-Stars on your team, so if you can get one at that price, why not?
@83 Pretty sure the D-Backs would not insult Hahn’s intelligence asking for Kopech or Vaughn for Escobar. I am curious what the deal that was supposedly in place was, it sounds like they were really close 3 weeks ago. Nightengale (the guy who first posted the rumor) said on some sports radio that the Sox were set to send a reliever to AZ for Escobar, but then both the reliever and Escobar were hurt, the pitcher getting a cortisone shot. Maybe the reliever was a minor leaguer, who knows.
In any case I hope they can work something out pretty soon, only a few days left.
Remember when Eloy got hurt and everyone acted like he was dead lol?
Pepperidge Farms remembers.
Of all the roster additions during this time, the addition of Eloy to the Sox offense could be one of the most impactful — much more than most of the trades happening.
Not sure why an IF gets sent down with Eloy’s return.
Yes, Burger has options, but you don’t deplete your IF to make room for a DH/OF.
I would make a move and trade Goodwin.
Hopefully, a new 2B is on the way by Friday deadline.
At least Burger will get lots of AB’s at Charlotte.
@ChiSox_Fan
I think that’s the main thing, he wasn’t getting enough AB’s with the Sox. As long as he doesn’t get traded, I’m looking forward to seeing him in Chicago again (hopefully soon, like Sept).
I’m definitely satisfied with Burger’s debut.
Because they don’t need him.
Danny Mendick is still on the team, and he barely plays.
The infielders they have also aren’t guys who take days off or get pinch hit for.
Also, Goodwin has no options left, but is under control for another season.
Burger played 3B and DH for the Sox…. So you’re sending down a DH to make room for a DH
@David Barista
That’s a DH who can theoretically play the OF (which, if I’m not mistaken, is going to do tonight). Even though playing him in LF is against their better judgment.
The important thing though is that Burger wasn’t getting that many AB’s (personally I would’ve tried to get him in the lineup more). There’s no doubt Eloy is getting the AB’s, no one on the team is going to take his AB’s away.
My nephew’s best friend since the Little League days has been good if not great for the Sox this year. They’re a fun watch for non-Sox fans like me prior to West Coast games starting.
A lot of crazy suggestions in these comments (Max Scherzer?) when, to me, the solution is very clear. We’re getting Jimenez, Robert and Grandal back sooner than later and while I wouldn’t mind the Lucroy addition, Zavala has been excellent behind the dish (although he’s been subpar at the plate) while Zack Collins has been just okay at the dish and greatly lacking as the backstop. So, sure sign Lucroy until Grandal gets healthy.
At second base, we were getting above average play from Leury Garcia and Jake Burger — obviously, Burger had to be sent down to make room for Eloy — that said, someone like Eduardo Escobar makes far too much sense to not get, if he’s available. That’s the route I’d take, especially after all the Pirates got back for Frazier was underwhelming.
The most important move we can make is getting a strong veteran reliever. While I’m sure the Cubs would ask for a lot in return for Ryan Tepera, I think he’d be the best fit for us. I still believe in Bummer as our primary lefty despite his recent struggles so getting a lefty isn’t 100% a necessity — but if someone like Andrew Chafin, Brad Hand, or Taylor Rogers is available — we should definitely kick the tires. I wouldn’t at all be opposed to acquiring someone like Ross Detwiler who we are familiar with either. He’s someone I thought performed pretty well in relation to what we were expecting. I would imagine he could be had for cash considerations or basically nothing.
Leury Garcia is NOT giving the White Sox above average play. He’s in a batting slump, has a below average OPS+ and has negative defensive metrics at 2b.
They need to find a replacement.
Jake Burger
When has Jake Burger played 2B? that’s like inserting Yermin Mercedes in as a catcher
Just click on his link and you will see that Jake Burger has some limited experience at 2B. In fact, the 4 games he played there at AAA Charlotte all occurred just prior to his MLB debut with the White Sox and following the Nick Madrigal injury. The White Sox recently gave 1B Andrew Vaughn (LF) and 1B Gavin Sheets (RF) crash-courses at new positions so they figured they would do likewise with Burger.
That said, 2B is a far more premium defensive position than a corner OF spot so having Burger play 2B down the stretch and into the postseason is hardly a realistic option in 2021. I’m sure Burger will continue to see some action at 2B along with his primary 3B position as an insurance policy for the White Sox but you’d best believe that Rick Hahn will be looking for an established MLB player to replace Madrigal this season.
yep…. that’s all fine and whatever to have Burger expand what he can do getting experience at 2B…. in the minor leagues
It’s rare when someone like Burger comes along. It may take some seasoning for him to succeed. Well done call up by the Sox.
Well Escobar to the Brewers.