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Tanner Banks

Phillies Acquire Tanner Banks

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The White Sox have traded left-handed reliever Tanner Banks to the Phillies. Philadelphia is sending 19-year-old infield prospect William Bergolla to Chicago in return.

Banks, 32, has been a solid middle reliever for the White Sox over the past three seasons, with a 3.89 ERA and 3.67 SIERA in 162 innings pitched. He has an unremarkable 4.13 ERA this year, but his 26.8% strikeout rate, 3.23 xERA, and 3.12 SIERA are the best marks of his career. Of further note, Banks has gone multiple innings in 16 of his 41 appearances this season. Matt Gelb of The Athletic notes he will be a multi-inning arm out of the Phillies’ bullpen and “could return to starting at some point.” The southpaw has also been a menace against same-handed opponents this season, with a 33.7% strikeout rate and a 1.90 FIP. Lefties have hit just .184 against him.

The Phillies had already made one big bullpen acquisition ahead of the deadline, trading for Angels closer Carlos Estevez over the weekend. However, Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic noted on Monday that Philadelphia was still seeking bullpen help. After adding the righty Estevez, it stood to reason they would seek a southpaw, especially given José Alvarado’s recent struggles. The move to add Banks makes even more sense given the news that the Phillies have traded fellow left-handed reliever Gregory Soto to the Orioles, which broke shortly after the report that the Phillies had acquired Banks. Soto has put up solid underlying numbers throughout his season and a half with Philadelphia (3.63 SIERA), but his 4.42 ERA over 95 2/3 innings pitched is less inspiring. Evidently, the Phillies decided they saw more that they liked in Banks. Not only does he have better splits against left-handed batters this season and a proven ability to pitch multiple innings, but as a pre-arb player, he is significantly less expensive than Soto and comes with significantly more team control.

Bergolla signed with the Phillies as an international free agent in January 2022. Entering the season, he was the team’s No. 10 prospect according to Baseball America and No. 13 according to FanGraphs. Keith Law of The Athletic was not as high on the young infielder, leaving him off of his list of the top 20 prospects in the Phillies’ system. Ultimately, different evaluators disagree about Bergolla’s throwing arm, speed, and power potential, but just about everyone seems to agree that his ability to put the ball in play is his most important skill. He had a 7.5% strikeout rate at Single-A last season, and he is currently running an 11.2% strikeout rate at High-A in 2024.

Robert Murray of FanSided was the first to report that the Phillies were acquiring Banks from the White Sox. Scott Merkin of MLB.com first suggested that Bergolla could be headed back to the White Sox, and Todd Zolecki of MLB.com later confirmed the report.

Mets Considering Tanner Scott, John Brebbia

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The Mets have already added Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek to their bullpen this month. They don’t appear to be content with that pair of acquisitions as they remain linked to a handful of relievers.

Tim Britton and Will Sammon of the Athletic write that the Mets have discussed a pursuit of White Sox righty John Brebbia. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that New York is one of multiple teams that has engaged Chicago on southpaw Tanner Banks. While the Sox relievers are more middle innings or setup options, FanSided’s Robert Murray suggests the Mets have also shown interest in top rental closer Tanner Scott.

Brebbia and Scott are both very likely to land elsewhere tomorrow. They’re each impending free agents on last place teams. Brebbia’s contract contains a $6MM mutual option with a $1.5MM buyout, but it’s fair to presume that will not be exercised by both parties. The Sox righty is playing this season on a modest $4MM deal.

While he owns an underwhelming 5.71 earned run average, Brebbia has more intriguing peripherals. He has fanned almost 30% of batters faced against a tidy 6.6% walk percentage. A lofty .346 average on balls in platy against him is the primary reason for his disappointing run prevention mark. The bat-missing ability should get him a middle relief spot on a contender.

Banks is a less clear trade candidate because he’s controllable for the foreseeable future. Yet he’s already 32 years old on a Sox team at the nadir of a rebuild. It’s unlikely that Banks is playing a meaningful role the next time the White Sox are in contention. He’s having a solid ’24 season, fanning nearly 27% of opposing hitters against a 7.3% walk rate. Banks has logged 48 innings of 4.13 ERA ball. He’s still two seasons away from qualifying for arbitration.

Scott is a much bigger name and would be tougher to land. The hard-throwing southpaw is on the radar of most contenders. He’s striking out 29.1% of opposing hitters with a sterling 1.18 ERA across 45 2/3 frames for the Marlins. Scott has locked down 18 of 20 save chances.

White Sox Claim Nick Solak; Place Yoán Moncada On IL

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The White Sox announced a batch of roster moves this afternoon. Outfielder Eloy Jiménez was reinstated from the injured list, swapping places with third baseman Yoán Moncada, who lands on the 10-day IL retroactive to April 11 with lower back soreness. Infielder/outfielder Nick Solak was also claimed off waivers from the Mariners and optioned to Triple-A Charlotte, with right-hander Matt Foster transferred to the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move. Additionally, right-hander Jesse Scholtens was optioned to Charlotte while left-hander Tanner Banks was recalled.

Solak, 28, has bounced around the league quite a bit over the past six months or so. After spending four seasons with the Rangers, he was flipped to the Reds for cash considerations in November. He didn’t impress in spring and was designated for assignment on Opening Day. The Mariners acquired him at that time, with Solak being dealt for cash yet again. After a couple of weeks in the Mariners’ system, he was designated for assignment again and now lands with the Sox.

The fact that Solak is in a limbo zone where various teams are interested in his abilities yet he keeps losing his roster spot is a reflection of his uneven career so far. He debuted with the Rangers in 2019 by posting a .293/.393/.491 batting line and 126 wRC+ in 33 games. But he hit just .246/.317/.354 in the next three seasons for a wRC+ of 88. Despite those struggles at the big league level, he’s continued to flash promise in the minors, hitting .289/.368/.503 in Triple-A.

The White Sox will now be the latest team to give him a shot and see what happens. He still has an option remaining and will head to Charlotte for now. A second baseman earlier in his career, he was pushed into a corner outfield role when the Rangers signed Marcus Semien. It remains to be seen how the Sox deploy Solak for the Knights, but they do have a question mark at second base, as Tim Anderson’s injury has moved Elvis Andrus over to shortstop. That leaves utility players like Romy González, Hanser Alberto and Lenyn Sosa covering second, though Moncada’s injury means they’re needed at third base as well. The outfield corners are a bit more secure with Andrew Benintendi and Óscar Colás taking those spots on a regular basis.

Moncada has been dealing with the back issue for the past few days, having last started on Sunday. Just a few days ago, manager Pedro Grifol said it was possible that Moncada could be ready for action by this weekend, per James Fegan of The Athletic, but it seems the club will give him a bit of a breather to recuperate. He was off to a hot start, currently hitting .308/.325/.564, but that will now be put on pause. By backdating the IL placement, he could potentially be back in a week if he heals up as hoped. His roster spot will go to Jiménez, who is back after just a minimum stay on the IL. He was originally expected to miss about two or three weeks but has beaten that timeline slightly. Within days of going on the IL, he told Fegan that he was feeling much better and would have been available to pinch hit if were still active.

As for Foster, he started the season on the 15-day injured list with a right flexor strain. It’s unclear what his timeline for return is, but he will now be ineligible until late May. The 60-day count goes from his initial IL placement and not today’s transfer.

White Sox Select Oscar Colas, Release Leury Garcia

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The White Sox have requested unconditional release waivers on utilityman Leury García, the club announced. Chicago has formally selected the contracts of outfield prospect Oscar Colás and veteran infielder Hanser Alberto. The Sox also placed Garrett Crochet, Tanner Banks and Liam Hendriks on the 15-day injured list.

None of the transactions come as a surprise. Chicago GM Rick Hahn had more or less confirmed these decisions over the weekend. It finalizes the end of García’s nine-plus year tenure on the South Side. Initially acquired from the Rangers back in 2013, the switch-hitting García carved out a long-term bench role on the strength of his defensive flexibility. He never made a huge offensive impact but endeared himself to a few different coaching staffs.

García had the best season of his career in 2021, when he posted a .267/.335/.376 line over 474 plate appearances. Headed to free agency for the first time that winter, García returned to the South Side on a very surprising three-year deal. The Sox guaranteed him $16.5MM, seemingly committing to him as a versatile bench piece for the extended future.

That turned out disastrously, as García was among the worst hitters in the game last year. He managed only a .210/.233/.267 line in 97 contests. Continued struggles in Spring Training led the Sox to eat the $11MM remaining on his contract. They informed him over the weekend he wouldn’t be part of the Opening Day roster. Once he clears release waivers — an inevitability considering the amount of money remaining on his deal — he’ll be free to explore opportunities elsewhere.

Alberto secures a depth infield role in his stead. Signed to a minor league deal over the winter, the righty-hitting Alberto is a high-contact hitter who’s best deployed against lefty pitching. He almost never walks and rarely hits for power but he puts the ball in play and can play throughout the infield. Alberto hit .244/.258/.365 in 73 games for the Dodgers last year.

Colás is one of the organization’s top prospects. He’s expected to see the bulk of right field playing time and is now positioned to make his MLB debut. The 24-year-old hit .314/.371/.524 over three minor league levels last season. Despite a relatively modest .258/.279/.424 showing this spring, he earns a look in the right field rotation alongside Gavin Sheets and Romy González.

White Sox Place Luis Robert On 10-Day Injured List

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Luis Robert’s 2022 season is officially over, after the White Sox placed the outfielder on the 10-day injured list due to a sprained left wrist.  Left-hander Tanner Banks was also optioned to Triple-A Charlotte, while outfielder Mark Payton was called up from Charlotte and righty Joe Kelly was reinstated from the medical leave list.

Robert’s wrist has been bothering him since August 12, when he suffered a sprain while trying to steal a base in a 2-0 Chicago win over the Tigers.  White Sox GM Rick Hahn told reporters (including The Athletic’s James Fegan) that Robert’s injury was re-aggravated after he was hit by a pitch on September 6 during a game against the Mariners, which led to Robert receiving more sporadic playing time over the last few weeks.  Three different hand specialists determined that there isn’t any structural damage, Hahn said, but Robert just needs time off to fully heal.

As a result, Robert has been shut down, ending his season with a .284/.319/.426 slash line and 12 home runs over 401 plate appearances.  His wrist problem seemed to sap his effectiveness at the plate, as Robert had only a .414 OPS over his final 47 PA of 2022.

Robert also missed time due to blurred vision and the COVID-related IL this season, and thus played in only 98 of Chicago’s games.  Between his absences this season and the hip flexor strain that cost him a big chunk of the 2021 campaign, Robert has played in only 166 of a possible 324 games since the start of the 2021 season.  When he was able to play, Robert posted great numbers in 2021 and his 2022 production was still solidly above average (112 wRC+), but it still represents a disappointment for a player who has shown glimpses of superstar potential.

The White Sox can only hope that Robert is able to fully heal up over the winter, and is then able to stay on the field for most or all of the 2023 campaign.  Robert’s injury-plagued year is one of but several “if only…” laments South Side fans have about a White Sox season that is looking increasingly like it will fall short of the playoffs.  The 76-75 Sox are on a four-game losing streak, and have dropped to a 76-75 record, falling eight games behind the Guardians in the AL Central and 6.5 games out of the wild card race.

White Sox Select Seby Zavala, Designate Yermin Mercedes

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The White Sox announced a series of roster moves today, selecting the contract of catcher Seby Zavala and designating first baseman Yermin Mercedes for assignment. They also recalled lefty Tanner Banks. To make room on the active roster for Zavala and Banks, lefty Aaron Bummer was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 9, due to a lat strain, while righty Davis Martin was optioned to Triple-A.

Zavala appeared in the majors with the White Sox in 2019 and 2021, getting into 42 games and hitting .171/.223/.343. He was outrighted off the roster in April and has been in Triple-A Charlotte, having a much better showing. He’s hit .282/.396/.535 through 41 games with the Knights, amounting to a wRC+ of 147, though with a 35.5% strikeout rate. He’s actually played more first base than catcher this year, though he’s likely needed on the big league club for extra depth behind the plate. Yasmani Grandal left yesterday’s game with hamstring tightness and will be unavailable for a while, even though he hasn’t been placed on the IL. Zavala and Reese McGuire will handle the catching duties until Grandal recovers enough to rejoin them.

As for Mercedes, this has the potential to conclude his tenure with the White Sox, a relationship that has not always gone smoothly. Last year, the Twins sent utility player Willians Astudillo to the mound in a game they were losing 15-4 to the Sox. Mercedes drew the ire of some unwritten rules fetishists by swinging at a 3-0 pitch from Astudillo and depositing over the fence for a home run. The Twins responded by throwing behind Mercedes in a subsequent game, which garnered suspensions for reliever Tyler Duffey and manager Rocco Baldelli. In the media dustup that followed, many White Sox players defended Mercedes, but White Sox manager Tony La Russa publicly spoke out against his own player and those who defended him.

Later in the season, Mercedes was optioned to the minors, which was followed by him announcing that he planned on stepping away from baseball, apparently posting his decision on Instagram before telling the team about it. However, it turned out to be a false alarm, as Mercedes quickly returned to the team in short order.

This year, Mercedes underwent hand surgery in March though was able to return and make his season debut in Triple-A in May. Through 25 games with the Knights, he’s hitting .230/.376/.426 thanks to a whopping 18.3% walk rate. All that amounts to a wRC+ of 120, or 20% above league average. Mercedes has always hit at every level, including the majors, though he doesn’t provide much value with the glove. Although he came up as a catcher, he’s gradually spent less time behind the plate, making 15 starts at DH this year and nine at first base, none behind the dish. The 29-year-old is in his final option year, meaning he could garner interest from any team willing to give him a 40-man roster spot. He could be stashed in Triple-A for the remainder of the year as a bat-first depth option. The White Sox will have one week to trade him or put him on waivers.

AL Roster Notes: Twins, White Sox, Rays

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The Twins have reinstated Gilberto Celestino from the COVID injured list, per the team. Chi Chi Gonzalez was returned to Triple-A to make room on the active roster. It’s worth nothing that Gonzalez has an opt out clause in his contract that he can trigger next week, per Darren Wolfson of KSTP Eyewitness News (via Twitter). The 30-year-old Gonzalez made just one appearance for the Twins, yielding three earned runs in three innings of work. Let’s check on other roster moves made today in the American League…

  • The White Sox optioned Tanner Banks to Triple-A today to make room for reliever Kyle Crick, per the Athletic’s James Fegan (via Twitter). Crick has 10 appearances on the year with a 3.60 ERA/3.95 FIP across 10 innings with a 11-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Banks, a 30-year-old rookie, made 14 appearances spanning 21 2/3 innings with a 4.57 ERA/4.44 FIP.
  • Southpaw Ben Bowden, who was designated for assignment earlier this week, has cleared waivers and been assigned to Triple-A Durham, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Bowden, 27, was claimed off waivers earlier this season from the Rockies. He has not yet seen big league action for the Rays.

White Sox Place Joe Kelly On IL With Hamstring Strain

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The White Sox announced that right-hander Joe Kelly has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to a strained left hamstring. Lefty Tanner Banks has been recalled to take his place on the active roster.

Signed in the offseason to a two-year, $17MM deal, Kelly began the season on the IL due to a biceps strain that he suffered while with the Dodgers last year. He was activated just over two weeks ago and is now heading back to the IL due to a separate issue. Through just 5 2/3 innings on the year so far, he has a ghastly 9.53 ERA, though that’s mostly due to a single disastrous outing. On May 12, his second appearance of the year, he was tagged for five earned runs in 2/3 of an inning. Apart from that, he’s allowed just one earned run on the year.

As for his timeline, Kelly told James Fegan of The Athletic that it’s a Grade 2 strain with an estimated recovery time of 3-4 weeks. Despite losing Kelly’s talents, this shouldn’t be a devastating blow for the club as they have many other strong options for late-game appearances, including Liam Hendriks, Kendall Graveman, Aaron Bummer and Jose Ruiz.

White Sox Notes: Adolfo, Banks, Crick

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White Sox outfielder Micker Adolfo has been generating trade interest in recent days, tweets MLB.com’s Jon Morosi. The out-of-options Adolfo has, somewhat remarkably, ranked among the organization’s top 30 prospects at Baseball America for eight straight seasons. Since signing as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic, Adolfo has slowly risen through the South Siders’ system, though injuries and the canceled 2020 minor league season have slowed his ultimate path to the big leagues. Adolfo has twice undergone right elbow surgery, including Tommy John surgery in 2018.

Now 25 years old, Adolfo split the 2021 season between Double-A and Triple-A, where he slashed a combined .245/.311/.520 with 25 home runs, 24 doubles and a triple. There’s little doubting Adolfo’s prodigious raw power. FanGraphs gives him 70 power on the 20-80 scale, while, MLB.com notes that even after the Sox’ signings of Oscar Colas and Yoelqui Cespedes, Adolfo might have the most raw power in the system. That said, Adolfo’s hit tool is lagging quite a bit behind his power. He’s fanned in a jarring 33.1% of his plate appearances, including a combined 34.1% in Double-A and Triple-A last year.

Chicago doesn’t have much room in its outfield mix for the 6’4″, 225-pound Adolfo, so trade speculation is only natural. Like Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, AJ Pollock, Adam Engel and Andrew Vaughn, Adolfo is a right-handed hitter. MLB.com touts his plus-plus (70) arm strength but notes that he doesn’t have the speed or range to handle center, likely relegating him to corner work.

There are plenty of clubs that could roll the dice on a slugging left or right fielder, and given Adolfo’s lack of options, some form of deal involving him indeed seems likely. The Sox would have to designate him for assignment and pass him and attempt to pass him through waivers before they’d be able to assign him to Triple-A Charlotte. Adolfo likely wouldn’t command a huge return for the Sox, but clubs like the Padres and Guardians, for instance, are known to be looking for some corner outfield help. It’d also make sense for rebuilding or retooling teams to take a look at Adolfo and see whether that power might outweigh the strikeouts at the MLB level. The Orioles, Pirates, Rangers and Nationals ought to at least have a bench spot available.

A move involving Adolfo seems all the more likely given that it became clear last night the Sox would need at least one additional spot on the 40-man roster. That spot will go to eight-year minor league veteran Tanner Banks, a 30-year-old left-hander whom the Sox drafted back in 2014 and has been informed he’s made his first big league roster (as first reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale).

Assistant general manager Chris Getz told reporters last night that Banks has seen a velocity jump this spring and is now sitting at 94 mph with his heater (Twitter link via James Fegan of The Athletic). With some extra life on his heater, a strong spring showing (two runs in 5 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts and no walks), and a newfound need for some bullpen lefties following Garrett Crochet’s looming Tommy John surgery, Banks finds himself on the cusp of making his big league debut.

The Sox can, of course, just move Crochet to the 60-day injured list to open a 40-man spot, but Banks probably isn’t the only player for whom the Sox will need to open a 40-man spot. Veteran righty Kyle Crick, per Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times, appears ticketed for the big league bullpen and will need to have his contract formally selected to the 40-man roster himself.

Crick, 29, had a big showing with the White Sox’ Triple-A affiliate last year — one run in 10 1/3 innings with a 15-to-3 K/BB ratio — but didn’t make the Majors. He re-upped with the ChiSox on a minor league pact this winter and has continued that impressive showing in Cactus League play, ratting off seven shutout innings with just one hit and two walks allowed against five punchouts.

Formerly the No. 49 overall pick in the 2011 draft (Giants), Crick went to the Pirates alongside Bryan Reynolds in San Francisco’s ill-fated trade for Andrew McCutchen (a Pirates heist that is often overshadowed by Pittsburgh’s own regrettable Chris Archer swap). He had four mostly solid seasons in the Pittsburgh bullpen, working to a 3.62 ERA with a 25% strikeout rate but a bloated 13% walk rate. He’ll get a chance with the Sox to show that the command gains he’s displayed in Charlotte last season and so far in Cactus League play can be sustained at the MLB level. If that’s the case, Crick has the stuff to serve as an important bullpen piece for Tony La Russa — one who can be controlled through the 2023 season as he still has only four-plus years of Major League service time and would be arbitration-eligible next winter.

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