The White Sox announced Monday that they’ve reinstated center fielder Luis Robert from the 60-day injured list. Outfielder/first baseman Gavin Sheets was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte in order to open a spot on the active roster. Minor league outfielder Luis Gonzalez was released in order to open a spot on the 40-man roster.
Gonzalez’s release may initially surprise some fans, given his standing as one of the organization’s 10 to 20 best prospects over the past few years, but he’s slated to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, James Fegan of The Athletic tweets. Injured players can’t be placed on outright waivers, so the team’s only recourse was to either release Gonzalez or add him to the MLB roster and place him on the Major League 60-day injured list. The Sox will opt for the former path and presumably look to re-sign him to a new minor league contract, as is fairly common in these instances.
As for the dynamic Robert, he’ll return after missing more than three months due to a Grade 3 hip flexor sustained back in early May. The injury initially called for a rehab period of 12 to 16 weeks, and he’ll return on the shorter end of that timetable. Robert appeared in a dozen minor league rehab games — four in Class-A Advanced and eight in Triple-A — and notched a combined .268/.388/.390.
Robert, 24, won a Gold Glove and finished second to Kyle Lewis in American League Rookie of the Year voting. He’s played in 81 big league games to this point in his young career, batting .259/.320/.444 with 12 home runs, 17 doubles, a triple and 13 steals (in 16 attempts). Strikeouts have been an issue (30.6 percent), but Robert has been regarded as an elite prospect since he left Cuba and signed with the Sox for a $26MM bonus (that came with a $26MM overage penalty for Chicago, whose bonus pool was just north of $2.9MM at that point). He then inked a six-year, $50MM contract extension with a pair of club options before even suiting up for his first big league game.
The White Sox lost both Robert and Eloy Jimenez early in the 2021 season, but they’ve nevertheless been able to steamroll a feeble American League Central, building a 10.5-game lead over the second-place Indians as of this writing. With Robert and Jimenez now back from injury and Craig Kimbrel at the back of the bullpen, the South Siders are as strong as they’ve been at any point this season. The division title has long looked like a foregone conclusion, but the return of their promising young outfielders and a few key deadline pickups have better positioned the Sox as a postseason threat.
Hello Luis, bye Luis
Thoughts and prayers to his family and loved ones.
Thanks Gavin. You will be up again.
He will be up in no time along with burger
Jake Burger was placed on the AAA 7-day IL this past Wednesday due to a bone bruise on his right hand. At this point the injury is considered somewhat minor although no timeline was given for his return.
The Burger setback likely sealed the demotion of Gavin Sheets over a possible DFA of Jake Lamb who himself just returned from his own DL stint. With Burger sidelined, Lamb would be the top insurance policy at 3B for Yoan Moncada.
The managers who owned Jimenez and Robert inexplicably dropped them in my 20-team keeper league, despite the fact there were multiple DL spots available. I picked up of them up immediately afterwards. Hope both can get into a groove during the final stretch of the season.
I was able to get them and Bregman off of waivers in a few redraft leagues and stored them on IL
Eloy already in a groove!
I’ve had them on my taxi DL squad all season after spending tons on them. Now I’ve gotta find room for them both. Nice problem to have!
Does anyone think Kimbrel should have been made the closer?
Not really. Hendriks has gotten job done all year and I’m sure Kimbrel will get chances on nights when he is fresher option.
Robert 2/5 plus great catch in tonight’s 11-1 win over the Twinkie’s.
Eloy 2 more HR’s and 5 RBI’s.
Eloy first White Sox ever with 2+ HR’s and 5+ RBI’s in consecutive games!!!
If you are in a Keeper league with unlimited spots, you feast on the ignorance of others.
Worrying about having to send down Gavin Sheets is a great problem to have.
Yeah – Sheets’ future is bright with some valuable experience way ahead of schedule, much like the way Vaughn was forced to adapt and contribute.
I’d say Sheets is right on schedule, and his next stage of development will need to happen in MLB… at least platoon next year… if the Sox can’t find room on the roster then he should be moved by the 2022 trade deadline at the latest.
I actually didn’t expect as much from Sheets as I expect from Vaughn, but both of them look great at the plate.
I half expected him to be moved at this year’s deadline. I hope he gets a chance to contribute after the rosters expand.
They’ll find room. Goodwin and Billy! Billy! have been valuable contributors and deserve a role on a playoff roster but prolly not long term options, especially if Engel stays healthy. What a difference a few weeks make
If Baltimore passes the Rangers should pick this guy up like found money. Gonzalez is from Mexico and he’s a decent young player, all attributes that should appeal to the Rangers.
Add him to Dane Dunning in their collection of former Sox prospects.
Don’t forget OF Steele Walker who was dealt to the Rangers for Nomar Mazara in December of 2019. Steele would have been a great name for a potential White Sox outfielder but is nothing compared to Walker, Texas Ranger if he makes his MLB debut in Arlington.
Luis Gonzalez was good in college and OK in A Ball in 2018. Not much afterward.
They sure look good to end their offensive struggles, on paper. Hopefully they can get going pretty soon, going to face a lot of tough opponents the next two weeks after the Twins. Only one day off as well, this Friday after the Field of Dreams game.
@jhomeslice
Yes. Their next 4 opponents after the Twins are all potential playoff teams (Yanks, A’s, Rays, Jays). This stretch will be a good litmus test for the Sox.
Hopefully Grandal will be back sometime during this stretch.
Lamb over Sheets… Jesus
bahhhhhhhh
This gives Gavin more at bats in Charlotte and will most likely be called back up next month.
Sheets has options. Lamb would have to been DFA. This way they still have both available if needed.
He would have been the 6th OF (7th if they keep Hamilton when he gets healthy) or 3rd first baseman, wasn’t going to be a defensive replacement or PR for anybody, and how many pinch hitting opportunities are there in that lineup in the AL?
He is better off getting playing time in AAA than getting 5 or 6 PA a week in Chicago.
Have to remember that Sheets like Vaughn is a 1b by trade. Ironically Sheets had to move to RF because of Vaughn
Like having too many spoons when you’re looking for a fork.
That wasn’t almost ironic, don’t you think?
It’s like rain on a sunny day
Or wedding day.
@chisox81
Jake Lamb is the top insurance policy for Yoan Moncada at 3B with Jake Burger currently on the IL at AAA Charlotte. The return of Luis Robert pushes Gavin Sheets further down on the OF depth chart. Sheets is also the #3 option at first base behind Jose Abreu and Andrew Vaughn. Lamb is also capable of playing 1B as well.
Sheets is better off getting regular PA’s at AAA until he returns to the White Sox in September when the active roster is expanded. He would also benefit from more OF reps. The White Sox didn’t begin Sheet’s apprenticeship in RF until later during his AAA season when a number of their other ‘reserve’ outfielders started hitting the IL well after the earlier injuries to Eloy Jimenez and Robert.
I’m can’t believe Luis Gonzalez is still playing. He has to be in his 50’s by now. It’s been 20 years since he walked off the World Series
Like Edwin Jackson…
Or David Robertson, the Toddfather, Melky and the other members of the 2016 Sox who won Olympic nedals
This Luis Gonzalez cat must have nine lives. He’s currently on his third MLB reincarnation since making his debut with the Astros in 1990.
Nice to have Lou Bob back. Having him and Eloy return from injury is good for baseball.
Absolutely!!
Every time I see the name Lou Bob, I picture Robert playing OF barefoot in overalls with no shirt underneath.
They had to make a move. . . But how long are they going to keep acting like Blake Rutherford is good at baseball?
At least Luis Gonzalez could play CF, and he’s a better hitter to boot.
I find that decision far more questionable than sending down Sheets over Lamb. That made sense.
Gonzalez over Rutherford, not so much.
@maximumvelocity
I agree. They didn’t seem to waste time cutting Basabe last year (and for good reason), yet they keep giving Rutherford chance after chance. Gonzalez will never be great, but for me it would be an obvious choice to keep Gonzalez over Rutherford. There’s a reason Gonzalez made it to Chicago and Rutherford hasn’t yet after all these years.
And yes, sending down Sheets made sense. There isn’t room for him now and he’s not going to help his trade value by rotting on the bench. Might as well get him some AB’s.
@83 Agree is good to play Sheets, hopefully with the playoffs in mind. With Eloy, Robert, Engel, Goodwin, Vaughn to occupy 3 outfield spots and DH, plus Leury getting in once in a while, you figure Lamb is barely going to play at all, hopefully. People seem enamored with him but he has not been much of a player in like 4 years. Sheets had an impressive OPS of .890 vs RHP, which is 150 points higher than Lamb. Lamb has not posted a season OPS over .700, even against RHP, since 2017 aside from an unexciting .740 this year. I can see why they would want Sheets to play and toward that end it makes sense to send him down, keep him ready. But if this were the playoffs, it would be pretty much nuts to take Lamb over him. Sheets is clearly better vs RHP, and has not basically sucked as a hitter since 2017.
I still think giving up Madrigal was too much for Kimbrel. When Madrigal and Anderson were going their offense was borderline unstoppable.
Madrigal won’t be missed. There’s no guarantee he’ll be the same after he is healed… Leg injuries on guys who rely on their speed don’t usually go well
Roman Quinn has had several Major leg injuries and at least until this last one had been fine. it’s no guarantee, and age is om his side here. crazy to see a team wolnt miss half a decade of some of the purest contact hitting talent there is.
If Rick Hahn thought Madrigal would be the same, I doubt he’d have traded him. They have way more access to details of the injury than we do as well as information on how rehab and everything else is progressing.
As much as I like Nick, his lack of power and sketchy defense made him expendable, especially for a club in championship contention.
I don’t like what you said about Nicky 2Strikes but unfortunately you are most accurate !!!!! Our new 2Bbaseman was basically FREE for the asking..
Caesar Hernandez is fantastic!!
Madrigal also didn’t have much speed before, so that would be a minor concern.
Yeah, not sure why people think he’s fast. His quick and nimble because of his size, but his speed is about average.
He had a high speed grade out of college, but it clearly hasn’t translated to pro ball.
The fact that he hasn’t been the defensive or speed threat advertised was a major disappointment.
I think he is Nellie Fox reincarnated. BA, fielding, arm, running speed, an outstanding # 2 hitter. We have more speed, a Gold Golverr and also an excellent # 2 hitter PLUS Craig Kimbrel !!!! Come on October !!!
Plus 20+ HR’s annually!!
That’s a harsh and ignorant comment. I think Madrigal will have a fantastic career in the big. His highly questionable base running won’t be missed, nor his very average glove.
Fact is, he was billed as a ++ contact player, with very good defense and a high baseball IQ. The last two haven’t panned out, and with two major surgeries in 2 years, he became expendable
Good news for madrigal cuz he’s not very fast
A second baseman with average fielding and base running skills with a career OPS+ of 112 is a nice player. But they can be replaced pretty easily through a trade or free agency.
Unless he suddenly hits for power, he is always going to be a 110-120 OPS+ guy who hits for average, but offers not much else. And his injury history is a problem.
I just love how all the ‘eggheads’ here are trying to justify the Nick Madrigal trade based on the equivalent of his half season of MLB playing time, which also happens to be pretty impressive considering that he was playing through a shoulder injury last season that required offseason surgery. They are pointing to 83 games of stats as if it was 831 games. I suppose they must think it’s impossible or even improbable that Madrigal would ever improve on some of his ‘shortcomings’ (lol) as he gains more experience. Personally, I can’t wait to seer the positive impact that the automated strike zone alone will provide a hitter like Madrigal who has such a keen batting eye. I’m guessing that he will be drawing a lot more walks in addition to maintaining his high BA since the new strike zone will be 100% consistent and not vary from game to game with human umpires.
I suppose we will just have to wait and see what kind of player he becomes on the other side of town now. Fortunately for me as an avid Madrigal supporter, I also happen to be a lifelong Cubs fan in addition to being a die-hard White Sox supporter. I look forward to enjoying the best of both worlds as Craig Kimbrel helps the White Sox win a World Series title while Madrigal teams up with Nico Hoerner as the new double play combo at Wrigley Field.
You are my GM when I win the big one !!!
Aaron, I don’t see anyone questioning this kid’s potential. He’s going to be a good player if he can stay healthy.
The team needed an everyday 2B for a championship run. They also needed to shore up the bullpen. If moving a guy (who’s out for the season anyway) helps you fill multiple needs to make the club stronger, you do it 10 times out of ten.
There’s been a lot of White Sox fans who have crapped all over Madrigal since the trade. Even the ‘great’ Steve Stone crapped on him during a subsequent radio interview. I’m looking forward to seeing all the naysayers eat crow down the road or maybe even some of their own crap when all is said and done.
@Aaron Sapoznik
LOL, nicely put.
I hated to see him go, but if there was one key piece I could live parting with, it was Madrigal. I believe the Cubs got the better end of the deal, but if Kimbrel is one of the key factors in the Sox getting a ring this year and/or next, the trade was well worth it. And even if the Sox don’t get a ring in these next two seasons, it’s still worth taking the gamble, even if it blows up in their faces.
Look at the Eloy/Cease/Q trade. Yes, it looks very lopsided now (it did then), but if Q had helped lead them to another ring, that trade would’ve been well worth it. Ultimately you’re not just trying to create a nice looking team, rather you are trying to win a ring. You may have to make a serious gamble if you want that ring, even though you know that trade could haunt you for years. Who cares if you win the division every year if you get knocked out in the first round every time. Twins fans will tell you that.
I like Hernandez so far (nice move by Hahn), but I will miss Madrigal next season and beyond.
No one has “crapped” all over Madrigal. He is a fine player and the Cubs got a solid return.
Saying that he lacks power and hasn’t been the base-stealing threat expected isn’t crapping on him. It’s a fact. And it’s also a fact that his OPS+ is very good, but not so high that it can’t be replaced.
It’s a short sample, but Hernandez is outperforming Madrigal in total offense. That was my point. Madrigal is very good, but he’s not irreplaceable, hence why the trade wasn’t really an overpay, especially considering Kimbrel is still under control via an option for next year, and could still be a factor in the bullpen, yield a prospect/ML-ready player return in a trade.
Any trade would likely be someone of Madrigal’s caliber, sans a throw-in like Heuer.
I’m not just criticizing some of the comments on this thread. Have you checked out Sox Twitter since the trade? As I also said, Steve Stone took a big dump on Madrigal AFTER the trade, something he was less inclined to do when Nicky was playing.
My main criticism is directed at the nerds who have had a problem with Madrigal since Day 1. They are so obsessed with advanced analytics it blinds them to throwback players like Madrigal who I believe are essential to a well balanced lineup, perhaps even more so in today’s three outcome game. As I said before, good on the Cubs for acquiring Madrigal. They will now have a core double play combination that has two throwback hitters in Madrigal and Nico Hoerner, something they lacked during their championship run..
As Da Coach would say, Who you crappin’!? lol
They got the best closer in the NL for a guy that can’t hit for power, never walks, has played below average defense and is an awful base runner. I’ve seen Madrigal get thrown at at third base for the third out trying to stretch a base, twice in the same week. And his frame can’t hold up for a season going back to college, too many injuries. Ya, I would keep Kimbrel. No brainer!!!
A rebuilding team doesn’t need an elite closer. Good trade for both teams.
When he was injured I was ridiculed for saying Robert would be missed but he hadn’t been a difference maker for the Sox. Just to be clear the Sox winning percentage with Robert is .555 and with him on the injured list it was .607
The Padres have a better record with Tatis, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a difference-maker. If the White Sox want to win a championship, they have a better chance with Robert than without him. Teams don’t get better when star players get hurt.
That should read “without” Tatis.
This is dumb.
Robert has less than 300 at-bats at the professional level, and has missed most of this season.
If he ever reaches his potential, he’s a top 5 player. Enough with the idiotic win percentage crap. Ridiculous!
Someone forgot to tell Eloy he’s not playing the Cubs tonight.
Ha-ha!. That said, Eloy’s raked against more teams than not in his young MLB career. For starters, just as Tiger and Yankee fans.
Eloy for MVP assuming no minimum AB’s required.
White Sox getting a log jam going in the OF. Robert back. Eloy looks like he was never out at all. Andrew Vaughn is finally hitting the way they thought he would over the last month. Brian Goodwin and Adam Engel are also contributing. Plus Leury Garcia who is lucky he plays the Infield.
Definitely a nice problem to have
I assume the rosters are going to be 28-man come Sept 1 (correct me if I’m wrong and disregard what I say below).
I’m curious to see which 2 get called up. More specifically, do they call both Sheets and Burger up, or do they call up Sheets and a pitcher (or even one of the two call-ups a 3rd C)? I’m sure a lot will depend on any injuries that may occur between now and then (hopefully none will occur).
I wonder if Lopez keeps pitching fairly well, they will go with Sheets and Burger to give some of their hitters more rest in Sept. I say this because Lopez can be a very important innings eater (along with Kopech, if TLR decides to go that route with him). Though a pitcher like Lambert can be very useful for them in Sept. Of course the Sox could be creative with the 10-day IL rule with giving some of their SP’s a little breather in Sept.
We’ll see in about 3 weeks.
I think Sheets gets called up very soon,if Lamb doesn’t hit out of the gate this stint.Sox have a tough 2wks coming up thurs,patience & leash will be short on Lamb.
@Bi
I don’t think patience with Lamb will be an issue. They have like 6 players for 4 spots ahead of him. Eloy, Robert, Vaughn, Engel, Goodwin for the 3 outfield spots plus DH, plus Garcia once in a while to give guys a rest. Hamilton back at some point also. I doubt Lamb is going to see much playing time, or be with the team long.