MAY 31: The Sox officially placed Anderson on the 10-day injured list today, reinstating center fielder Luis Robert from the COVID list in a corresponding move. La Russa said the team hopes to have their star shortstop back in around three weeks (via Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times).
MAY 29: White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson suffered a strained right groin during the fifth inning of today’s game with the Cubs. While fielding a grounder and throwing out P.J. Higgins at first base, Anderson fell to the ground after making the play and was clearly favoring his right leg. Anderson had to be helped off the field after being examined by team trainers, and was replaced at shortstop by Danny Mendick. Manager Tony La Russa tells reporters, including Jesse Rogers of ESPN, that Anderson is “for sure” going on the injured list.
In what has already been an injury-plagued season for the White Sox, losing Anderson for any significant amount of time would be the biggest setback yet. Anderson has been the cornerstone of an otherwise inconsistent lineup, hitting .356/.393/.503 with five homers and eight steals (out of eight chances) in 173 plate appearances.
The Sox announced that Anderson will undergo further tests on Monday, so the severity of the strain won’t be known for a while yet. It would seem like Anderson will have to be placed on the 10-day injured list, though if it’s a lesser strain, he might not miss too much action.
Mendick and Leury Garcia would be the top candidates to play shortstop, though the White Sox are otherwise short on experienced infield depth at the minor league level. If Anderson’s groin injury does require an extended absence, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Chicago acquire a veteran infielder at least on a minor league contract to help provide more backup.
Never like to hear of an injury to any athlete. Hope it turns out to be a best-case situation.
I agree, but some injuries are more unwelcome than others.
Which injuries are more welcome, exactly?
Assumed it was a jaw injury from overuse.
Believe what you want. You are already going to paint me as something no matter what my response is, so I choose not to participate. Have a nice day.
The White Sox have a solid contingency for Tim Anderson at AAA Charlotte in Yolbert Sanchez. ChiSox fans have been clamouring for the organization’s latest Cuban prospect to take over 2B with the combo of veterans Josh Harrison and Leury Garcia providing mediocre defense and little offense at the keystone this season. Sanchez was always considered a legit MLB defender at SS when the White Sox signed him to a $2.5MM bonus as an international free agent back in July of 2019. As a professional in the White Sox system, his production as a contact hitter has seemingly elevated that skill set to the point where it might now be considered his best overall tool.
The White Sox also have another international prospect tearing the cover off the ball at AA Birmingham in SS/2B Lenyn Sosa. To suggest that the front office should add a veteran on a minor league contract is not something White Sox fans would be thrilled with, not after the organization’s luck with their recent veteran stopgaps at 2B since the trade of Nick Madrigal last summer.
Aaron, not that I am skeptical of your positive assessment of the ChiSox replacement for TA because I know the Sox’ system, but TA is one of the top performers in MLB this year. I understand that Sanchez is a {potential} future replacement, but would you consider a AAA guy a true contingency for TA?
That seems like…awfully big shoes to fill for a guy with no ML experience though. Unless I misinterpreted what you meant by what you wrote.
No team is ever prepared for a star player going down. If Trout, or Betts, or Judge get injured, the replacement is going to be a lesser player. Still, its surprising, since Chisox maxed their major league payroll, that they wouldn’t have stocked some AAAA depth in the minors.
Lol you’re comparing TA to Trout. Betts. Judge ? ⚾️
The White Sox already have ample AAAA SS depth on their active MLB roster and at AAA Charlotte with Leury Garcia, Danny Mendick and Romy Gonzalez. You can add Josh Harrison to the mix when discussing 2B options. If the front office wants to pursue a proven veteran MLB middle infielder in a trade I’m all for it. I just don’t need to see another AAAA one added to the mix.
The front office, namely Jerry Reinsdorf, had plenty of options to fill their 2B void this offseason with numerous premium middle infield options including FA’s like Trevor Story, Javier Baez or Marcus Semien. As it turned out, Story and Semien wound up signing as 2B for 2022. They could have also pursued Carlos Correa and Corey Seager and then made a decision about who plays SS between either and Tim Anderson. They will most likely have a shot at Correa again this offseason with pending FA SS/2B Trea Turner another possibility assuming the Dodgers don’t sign him to a contract extension.
GM Rick Hahn also had many trade possibilities this past offseason including potential candidates like Yankees INF’s DJ LeMahieu or Gleyber Torres, Mets 2B Jeff McNeil, Phillies 2B Jean Segura or Padres 2B/OF Adam Frazier among others. Any of them would have been a better upgrade at 2B over their current ‘platoon’ of Harrison and Garcia.
Yolbert Sanchez is already at AAA despite having only appeared in 171 games and posting 705 PA’s as a professional. He is also 25-years old, having signed out of Cuba as a 22-year old in July of 2019. In Cuba, he played with Luis Robert on an 18-and-under squad and debuted in the island’s Serie Nacional at age 18, playing three seasons before defecting in 2018.
Following his defection, MLB declared Sanchez an international free agent in February 2019. Like many Cubans have done, Sanchez wanted to join with the White Sox and waited 5 months until the next signing period so they could find more bonus pool money for him. He signed his $2.5 million bonus in July and made his pro debut in the DSL that same summer. Because of the lost 2020 season due to the pandemic, Sanchez didn’t make his U.S. debut until age 24 in 2021.
That said, Sanchez is one of 6 shortstops among the team’s top-23 prospects. He and Romy Gonzalez are the only two who have advanced as far as AAA with the latter also making his brief White Sox MLB debut last September.
It’s possible that Sanchez could be the ‘heir apparent’ to Tim Anderson but he is more likely to become the White Sox next starting 2B in the short term. Most scouts have him pegged as a solid MLB utility infielder with his ability to handle SS, 2B and 3B.
As for TA’s ultimate replacement at SS, the White Sox have two candidates rated well ahead of Gonzalez (#7), Sanchez (#14) and Lenyn Sosa (#22). Their #1 overall prospect is SS Colson Montgomery who was the team’s top domestic draft pick last summer as a multi-sport Indiana prep star. Jose Rodriguez is the White Sox overall #3 prospect, a 21-year old Dominican who is currently Sosa’s teammate at AA Birmingham. The pair are currently rotating between SS and 2B but Sosa could wind up replacing either Sanchez or Gonzalez with a AAA promotion if either of the latter two gets called with Anderson heading to the IL this week.
The White Sox also have another Sanchez SS among their top prospects, 20-year old Venezuelan Wilber who is rated #23 and mostly playing 2B alongside Montgomery at low A Kannapolis. This Sanchez is a prolific base stealer with 70-grade speed who also possesses a 60-grade arm.
Note: Romy Gonzalez doesn’t appear to be an option for SS with Tim Anderson headed to the IL this week. Gonzalez was placed on the AAA IL on May 2oth, his second appearance on the list in 2022. Yolbert Sanchez would be the most likely call up from Charlotte although it would surprise no White Sox fan if the team just continued to roll with Leury Garcia and Danny Mendick at SS along with Josh Harrison at 2B. 28-year old minor league veteran Zack Remillard could also be in play as a potential SS promotion from the Charlotte Knights.
In other news from AAA today, Lance Lynn made his first rehab start and pitched 3 scoreless innings: https://www.milb.com/gameday/knights-vs-bulls/2022/05/29/666156#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=box,game=666156
Sanchez has a .700 something OPS and has only played 40 games at AAA. To believe he is going to seamlessly replace the Sox best hitter who has a .900 OPS is a bit nonsensical. If they thought that highly of Yolbert’s readiness, he would be starting at 2b already instead of the league worst disaster duo that they have.
If TA is done for very long, so is this team. That’s just reality. They might be done even if he isn’t out very long. Seems exceedingly unlikely they will go farther than last year when even if everybody is healthy, they have pretty much the same team and same weaknesses, including a completely incompetent and dysfunctional manager who is easily worst in MLB, as last year when they did a faceplant against a vastly superior Astros team. We already basically know they will not have home field in any playoff series against the Astros or Yankees, this season is shaping up to be a lost cause. And this whole rebuild will be if they don’t make some changes, starting with getting rid of the manager and signing a free agent position player more expensive than Grandal with a chance of actually making this team better, rather than throw-away players like Harrison and Eaton.
Aaron, what are you smoking?
If this is what it takes to get him up here and rake, then when Anderson comes back, maybe they use him at 2nd base
We are weak up the middle at the plate. I suggest we trade and get Madrigal back, the Cubs arent playing him, and then trade Anderson to the Padres for CJ Abrahms. Then we are set up the middle for this year, and the next 7 years.
Cubs can trade Andrelton Simmons to the south side.
That’s actually not the worst idea. It would probably only take a pitching prospect from Kannapolis or Winston-Salem.
Andrelton Simmons for Tanner McDougal?
SImmons a good hitter, Id take him.
That’s gotta be sarcasm
White Flag time. I have yet to figure out how this team was ever even in the discussion as World Series contenders.
I’ll bet you said the same thing about the Braves two months later in the 2021 season, maybe even the Nationals when they won the 2019 World Series.
Considering no AL Central team has even played in the ALCS during the past 5 years, it’s not unreasonable to question any AL Central team’s chances of winning the World Series.
And next year begins the more balanced schedule, just sayin’ …
“Considering no AL Central team has even played in the ALCS during the past 5 years, it’s not unreasonable to question any AL Central team’s chances of winning the World Series.”
Cherry picking stats…the 5 years before that, 4 of the 5 previous years an AL Central team represented the AL.
Baseball 6 years ago is more different than 5 shockingly
Yeah and the same thing was said about dozens of teams that did NOT win the WS. So which category do you think this team will eventually fall into?
@hiflew
I’m more inclined to believe the bust route. They’re absolutely listless so far. There’s still alot of season left to be fair. So time will tell. But there were far too many people with their “rose colored glasses” on in regards to this iteration of the White Sox in my opinion. I’d love to be wrong.
I don’t think they’re, “world series contenders”, in the sense that they’re one of the best teams, but all it takes is getting in and getting hot at the right time. They have a lot of players that have under performed, so there is still some hope there.
Literally the only thing I’m hanging my hat on at this point. They are playing so far below their talent level it’s disgusting.
@AaronSapoznik
I don’t really follow those teams as closely as I do the White Sox. So my opinion of their respective situations fell more into the indifferent category. I didn’t really care to be a soothsayer in regards to either. So you lost your bet I guess.
Btw: Most every baseball site had the White Sox in their top-5 MLB power rankings on opening day. They were considered by most to be co-favorites in the AL, with some adding the Blue Jays as their primary competitor and others citing the Rays or Astros. Clearly most pundits favored the White Sox easier path to the postseason over any contender from the AL East. The Astros remained the overwhelming favorite out West, with most ‘experts’ swapping out the A’s for the Mariners as Houston’s top challenger in 2022. Thus far, it’s been the Angels who have emerged as the Astros top adversary in the West while the Yankees have been the beast in the East.
Plenty of analysts were picking against the Astros this offseason and when they faltered in April. It’s a crowd pleasing pick. Personally, I find it entertaining and will continue to enjoy the golden era of my franchise.
25 man roster today, with all IL in place, can you really say that up the middle (C, 2b, SS, CF) that the White Sox are substantially better either offensively or defensively than the destined for 72 win Cubs?
The lack of depth is going to do the White Sox in.
If everyone stayed healthy (which is apparently never going to happen with Jimenez and Robert), Keuchel isn’t garbage, and Moncada doesn’t completely lose the ability to hit than this (on paper) is a very good team. Problem is none of that happend and the team seems to have regressed from the past two seasons
@Rsox
That was the somewhat the sentiment I held going into this season. It isn’t linear in terms of progression. Sometimes there’s regression. Seemingly quite alot of the latter when it comes to the White Sox. Yet there weren’t many accounting for the very real possibility of regression. The White Sox have tried to sell the idea that this was supposed to be their window of contention. They’re a far cry from those lofty expectations from where I’m sitting. They’re fortunate to be sitting at .500 currently.
What a huge loss for the ChiSox. He was on his way to a monster season too. The ChiSox have been decimated this year with injuries.
I assume if it’s anything serious the ChiSox postseason hopes are slashed. But, they still have a couple phenomenal pitchers to play behind, so there’s always that.
Hopefully it’s not too serious and he recovers quickly so he can return to the field.
Get well soon, Tim.
Well said Clip. Then again your Yankees dealt with a torrential yr of biblical plagues and injuries and yet bounced back. So there’s hope for the Sox yet. As long as everyone’s back by Sept
Very good point, and they have an excellent roster if they could stay healthy. Pitching wins games, man, and boy do they have some pitchers. I particularly fond of Doc Holliday Cease with the new stache! Seriously though, Lynn’s return should be a huge boon for the team.
I don’t know why Tim Anderson is the one who made me say this, but it’s crazy how often stars are on the IL. Definitely hurting the game big time. Wish I even had an idea about why it’s happening too.
Seems so much more prevalent nowadays. I think it’s due to the performance of many of these athletes. They’re peak performers now, they train constantly. Not only that, but they isolate & address injuries today in a much more precautionary manner than epochs past, obviously.
Couple that with a shortened ST this year & I think it was a recipe for disaster. It does seems to be much more prevalent nonetheless.
*note: I am not a doctor. You should consult an actual physician prior to taking any advice or any information contained herein as worth any more than the paper in which it’s written.*
“*note: I am not a doctor. You should consult an actual physician prior to taking any advice or any information contained herein as worth any more than the paper in which it’s written.*”
Damn, I guess I’ll have to cancel that lawsuit I was planning!
And I my upcom8ng prostate exam.
Sorry Clipper
*note: i am not a doctor. I only play one on tv…
I don’t believe there are any statistics that support your belief stars go on the IL more often than non-stars.
In general I think the muscle pulls are the result of a lack of stretching, poor conditioning, and too much weight/resistance training.
Back in the day, players didn’t have nearly as many pulls … and it wasn’t a coincidence that they worked out a lot less too.
FPG: I do wonder if it’s more common simply because of the following;
1) Typically the stars play more games than non-stars;
2) Typically the stars play the game harder, thus risking more injury;
3) Typically stars train harder to get to their respective levels of success.
And, when we consider those players who are “stars” have longer careers on average, we would see the more recognizable names, more often, for a longer period of time go to the IL. Not sure if that right, but the puzzle seems to fit for me.
FPG: Any lawsuit from you is an honor, sir!
exactly as you said Yankee Clipper also lets be honest if say a Travis Blankenhorn gets hurt does anyone even really notice? If say Aaron Judge cuts himself shaving it will be heard from here to australia.
Clip – Thanks, I had already hired one of the most successful, groundbreaking attorneys of our generation … Mr. Jackie Chiles.
As for your injury theories, I hafta respectfully disagree.
1) Because stars are more valuable, they are more indispensable which means giving them lots of rest and reducing the odds of them getting injured by playing them less. That’s why they have more scheduled days off, and why they often get pulled early in blowout games.
If you look at the 2018 Sox, both Benny and JBJ played at least 115 more innings than Mookie. And this year, both Verdugo and Hernandez have played more innings than Xander.
2) Purely a perception thing I know, but non-stars who are fighting for a contract or fighting to be a starter will quite often play harder than a guy who has 3-12 years left on a guaranteed contract. Why should the star with the big contract play hard, where’s the incentive? I don’t think JD Drew played hard for even one game in a Red Sox uniform. The more talent you have, the less you have to work hard. Yaz wasn’t blessed with a ton of talent, but he worked very hard to become a HOF’er.
3) I look at a guy like Devers, he’s definitely a star and he definitely doesn’t train hard or play hard. That’s probably why he is able to stay healthy and play so many games. Panda is another that immediately comes to mind, everyone knew as soon as he signed that huge contract he would eat his way to becoming a bust. Mookie did play hard, but he was sort of the exception.
FPG: Those are excellent points. I wonder if perhaps it’s a split? Perhaps it depends simply on the teams and the players, and it’s really some blend of both with the percentages assigned accordingly, based on the random occurrences. My comment was just what occurred to me, but your comment makes a lot of sense.
I guess I was thinking of specific people when I wrote that too. Well, let’s figure it out, man, we could write a book and make a ton of money!
PS: Hope you didn’t have any retainer costs!
Clip – Agreed, it’s likely a split.
And no I didn’t have any retainer costs, my teeth have always been perfectly aligned.
In this case… it seems like TA made an awkward throw.
He often makes lazy side arm throws to 1B. Not good fundamentals.
Perhaps this time, the ball played TA.
JA
WhiteSoxFan – You’re probably right. Looks like the similar thing occurred with the Nats SS in tonight’s game. Pushed off with his right leg, diving for a ball in the gap, and just as he launched, it appeared to seize.
One thing different about this year (and last year) compared to years prior is the vaccines. I’m a personal trainer, and have talked to people who seem to be seeing more muscle pulls and gym related injuries than ever before in non-athletes. Could be Covid itself as well, as so many have had it. I do think it is likely that something is going on related to Covid or the vaccines, it’s not like training methods changed drastically overnight or guys stopped stretching. Guys have been hitting weights pretty hard since the 90’s, that’s nothing new. And we’re way past the theory last year that a few months off during 2020 is the cause of players being out of shape, as if they sat around eating hohos. Would be really interesting to know what’s going on as it seems to be a league wide thing, and tons of guys are playing like they are really fatigued with sub-par numbers way below what is normal. Who knows, but the number of injuries is very abnormal and I believe the Sox switched conditioning/strength coaches this winter and it hasn’t helped.
The star SS on my fantasy team. Fortunately, I can slip Royce Lewis in from my reserves. Err….
That’s rough
Yes the baseball world will come to standstill because of TA injury. ⚾️
JA
Very bad news for a team that is already floundering. But it’s a long season, and things could easily get better. Minnesota and Cleveland are nothing great. Stick together guys.
Sox really need to look into their trainers. They have had many of the same kind of stress injury, impacting the core players, again and again. Was just having a center field bleachers discussion of that exact topic Saturday, when we found out Moncada was out (again) with a thigh bruise/strain.
They should nickname him “hangnail”. Most likely he will be injury free during his free-agent year.
jackie anderson
First actual good female blurnsball player.
Softy gets softer.
I know the Jackie Robinson comments were inappropriate and shouldn’t have been made in this era of media, but it made me laugh. If an all star caliber declared himself the Babe Ruth of this generation, I think it’d be fair game to call Ruth or Ruthie.
Wasn’t funny to TA though. Made him pull his groin! Wait, that didn’t sound right….
Serves him right. Red assed loser.
Grown men don’t tolerate that kind of taunting for years from an adversary. Of that makes TA “red assed”, so be it. You @$%& with the bull, you get the horns.