5:50pm: The White Sox officially placed Anderson on the 10-day IL between games, as expected, with Reynaldo Lopez coming off the IL to take his roster spot, per a team announcement relayed by Van Schouwen.
Their wording of Anderson’s injury states that he has “a sagittal band tear on the middle finger of his left hand,” which is “causing a dislocation of the exterior tendon of his finger.” It goes on to state the Anderson will undergo surgery on Thursday and is expected to miss approximately six week.
1:35pm: White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson is going to be out of action for 4-6 weeks due to a torn ligament in his hand, reports Russell Dorsey of Bally Sports and Stadium. Dorsey says that surgery is a possibility. Anderson last played on Saturday and then began a two-game suspension for making contact with an umpire during an argument in late July. Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that, while serving the first game of that suspension on Sunday, Anderson traveled to have his hand examined. The Sox had an off-day on Monday and are playing a doubleheader today, the first game of which will be the second game of Anderson’s suspension. That means that they might not make a roster move until between games of the twin bill, but Anderson seems destined to land on the injured list at that point.
This news is obviously terrible for the White Sox as they are in the thick of a playoff race. The club is currently 55-53, two games behind the Twins and one game behind the Guardians in the American League Central, and 2 1/2 behind the Mariners for the final AL Wild Card spot. The club has dealt with myriad injuries all year long but have recently gotten the roster to a healthier position, relatively speaking. Outfielder Luis Robert was activated from the injured list last week, while outfielders Eloy Jimenez and Adam Engel, catcher Yasmani Grandal and closer Liam Hendriks all returned from IL stints in July. Now, unfortunately, their star shortstop is going to be out of commission for an extended stretch.
Anderson, 29, struggled in his first few MLB seasons but broke out in 2019 and has been excellent since. From the beginning of that campaign to the present, he’s hit 51 home runs, stolen 53 bases and has a batting line of .318/.347/.473. He has a wRC+ of 124, indicating his offense has been 24% better than league average in that time. He’s accrued 13.9 wins above replacement, according to FanGraphs, in that four-year stretch. This year, he already missed three weeks earlier in the season due to a strained groin, only getting into 79 games for the campaign so far. He’s hit six homers, swiped 13 bags and is hitting .301/.339/.395 for a wRC+ of 111. That’s a slight dip from his previous seasons but he’s still produced 2.2 fWAR on the year, production which will surely be missed.
Given that 4-6 window for his absence, he likely won’t return until mid- to late-September. This year’s schedule was pushed back slightly due to the lockout in the offseason, meaning the final day of the regular season isn’t until October 5. Regardless, there won’t be a lot of time left whenever Anderson is able to return.
Perhaps compounding the severity of this injury, the member of the White Sox to play shortstop the most this year apart from Anderson is Danny Mendick, who is himself on the injured list, out for the season after tearing his ACL in June. When Mendick went on the shelf, the club promoted 22-year-old prospect Lenyn Sosa, who was primarily a shortstop in the minors but has played second base in his four MLB games thus far. With Anderson and Mendick both out, he might have to step into an everyday role. He’s hit .331/.384/.549 in 62 Double-A games this year, .275/.316/.407 in 23 Triple-A games and .083/.154/.167 in those four MLB contests. Utility player Leury Garcia could be an option, though he’s never played more than 19 games at short in any given season, spending more time at second base and in the outfield. He’s hitting .216/.240/.282 on the year for a wRC+ of 46. Romy Gonzalez is on the 40-man roster, currently in the minors, but he’s hit just .219/.318/.354 in Triple-A this year, wRC+ of 83.
With none of the options on the roster inspiring much confidence, the club might look outside for additions to help them at short, though that will be difficult at this time of year. With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, they can’t acquire any player that’s been on a 40-man roster this year via trade. As MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently outlined, trades are still possible for players that haven’t been on a 40-man roster this season, but that will obviously limit the Sox to options that are themselves fairly unexciting. Perhaps the club’s best option would be to look for a veteran recently cut loose from another team. Speculatively speaking, Didi Gregorius, recently released by the Phillies, could get a call from Chicago. With the Phillies on the hook for the remainder of his salary, the White Sox could bring him aboard and only pay him the prorated league minimum, with that amount being subtracted from what the Phillies pay. Regardless of how they choose to respond, there’s no question the White Sox are the lesser without Anderson, with less than two months remaining in a tight playoff race.
Soooo—–the I’ll take my suspension now because I’m hurt ploy didn’t work out so well, huh?
He did look in pain the other day—-wasn’t expecting this, but also wasn’t surprised when he decided to serve that suspension on a dime.
He appealed and had it heard on Saturday (and the appeal reduced the suspension), so he didn’t have a choice about taking it Sunday.
Thanks for the clarification snoop—forgive me for not giving him the benefit of the doubt on the timing.
I wonder if the injury was baseball related.
He hurt it in the Ranger game on Saturday I believe—he was in obvious pain after an at bat.
Robinson Cano on line 1.
Cano: “Your car warranty is about to expire…”
I wonder if his options(s) get picked up.
I don’t think he’s worth those options by any metric but he was prior to this season.
Oddly enough I think if he had gone year to tear through arbitration, his pre free agency salaries would’ve matched his early extension and his current situation would’ve only yielded a $1-2M bounce back contract in 2023 (equal to the buyout on his options) so seems like the extension was merely market value.
It’s an easy no-brainer that both option years get exercised.
Maybe Aldreton Simmons is still renting in town…..
As a Cubs fan I would not wish Andrelton Simons on anyone…even the WHITE SOX.
Interesting to see if they try out Didi or Andrelton … but they did call up Lenyn Sosa on Sunday to take Tim’s roster spot. Most likely he’ll start Game 2 with Leury starting game one (sigh). It’ll be nice to see him get a real shot at playing time, he’s been great in AAA for Charlotte. Also have Remy Gonzalez rehabbing in the ACL but will be ready to go pretty soon it looks like, so he could step in for some of this time.
Sosa still too raw. He has been mostly playing in AA this year.
Sosa still too raw. He has been mostly playing in AA this year, although he has been improving.
I’d take Simmons, would be amazing to have a great defensive shortstop who seems to care about playing d for a change.
Problem with that is the Sox, somehow, are as offensively challenged as defensively and Andrelton Simmons, this year, made Jon Lester look like a batting champion.
Too bad, not sad
Always a shame to see the most likable guy in the game go down with an injury.
….and a guy like jason heyward who is building an academy in chicago for the youth of the city is getting roasted because he didn’t “live up to his contract”.
Well, If the White Sox weren’t dead before, The most assuredly are now. Long Live LaRussa! He’s our guy!
What happened to his power this year? His slugging percentage is the worst of his career and a drastic dropoff from the previous 3 years.
He started off very strong this year, perhaps having his best season to date, but after he created the whole flare up with Donaldson, he then went on the IL and hasn’t been the same, slashing a subpar .249/.287/.290 over the last 175 ABs since returning.
“After he created the whole flare up with Donaldson”
What!? Donaldson was every bit as culpable for that entire incident. That was far from the first time that Donaldson has pulled some garbage like that either. There’s been multiple instances just with the White Sox in recent history. Donaldson has pretty much always been an ass. However I don’t think he was being intentionally “racist” by any means. Nor do I believe he deserved a suspension at all. He was just being his usual asinine self.
On the other hand I thought it was a poor look to use the “race” card in regards to the incident entirely. Let alone “Doubling Down” on those accusations to the media from those in Anderson’s camp.
Tim Anderson is t h e “worst guy”, in major league baseball. Nobody roots for anyone to get injured, but for Anderson, very few baseball fans ( outside maybe White Sox fans) are shedding any tears.
Perhaps self absorbed like many in society, but “worst guy” category is a bit rough. That seems to be a special level reserved for DV abusers and those involved in heinous activity.
Just more PT for Leury Garcia to continue to shine.
As a Guardians fan, I wholeheartedly endorse more time for Leury. I also think the White Sox should give an extension to Tony La Russa.
If his option is declined, he represents yet another talented shortstop on the market. And coming off a down year, a buy low opportunity.
Correa, Xander, and Turner will get huge money.
Swanson and TA are notches below them but would be a godsend to the Angels and other teams.
The White Sox already have him at a buy-low salary for 2022. He’s a lock to be back, but if JR wanted to save a few bucks, they’d find an active trade market for him.
*2023*
Regardless of what you think of him., Hawk would say: ‘He Gone and They Gone!
Hi Andrelton, since you have a place in Chicago anyway, how about trying the other side of town? This is the White Sox calling……
Hello, Dixon Machado, this is the White Sox calling……
Not bad!
I would go with Andrelton Sinmons before Didi Gregorius.
Initial injury due to counting money from his DQ commercial???
Sigh, racism once again strikes and this time costs Anderson a ligament.
it didn’t say how he injured his hand. he probably punched his josh donaldson growth chart on his locker
welp, there goes one of the 4 people on the team who can sort of it.
give lenyn sosa the bulk of the starts and see if he can be a guy
yes to Gregorius, he in my opinion is a better hitter than Anderson as his walk to k is at least 3 times better than Anderson. Even better if Gregorius can gain back his power stroke.
Di Di doesn’t walk either. He hit .210 with 1 homer and 19 rbi’s. He has no range at ss, but has made all the plays on balls he reaches this year. He, unlike Anderson is a good guy. Di Di just can’t hit anymore.
Didi can still hit. It’s not as though MLB pitchers are knocking the bat out of his hand. I think the BABIP gods have not been kind to him this year. I’m a Phillies fan, so I’ve followed him all year. One night about two weeks ago, I saw him hit three balls on the screws and each found leather instead of grass.
Maybe having a good guy like Didi in the ChiSox clubhouse can light a fire under the team. As for his fielding, he’s a lot better than advertised.
I don’t have a dog in the AL Central race fight, but I’m hoping the ChiSox give Didi a shot. Could be quite a find over the final 50 games.
Six week!? That horrible!!!
Did andereson break it while waking larussa up from his game time nap.
I am probably more amused by it being his middle finger than I should be. But hey if karma is a thing, say hello to it for me, Tim!
DiDi is injured. Andrleton Simmons(Free Agent) or Yolbert Sanchez(AAA) would be good options. Lenny Sosa is too raw.
sorry I was misinformed, Didi is healthy, it’s Anderson who is out for the year with hand surgery. sing Didi asap.
The intended lineup, at the outset of the season, lasted a total of about 7 days. The injuries are beyond belief. I’d fire the entire training staff. There are probably nursing homes that don’t see this many injuries during the baseball season.
Who is going to fill in for Jimenez when he gets hurt?
I’m never happy about a player being injured, but screw this guy. Makes the game hard to watch with his over inflated ego and his idiotic personality.
Only Steve Adams is a more egotistical dolt.
White Sox should let Harrison go. With Leury on the team (still don’t know how he got a 3-yr deal, especially at that AAV), he can fill in for Harrison until Sosa or Montgomery are ready. I know Montgomery is a SS, but with the way he’s been hitting this year, he might well make his debut sometime next year. Pretty sure he’d be willing to change positions to get to the majors.
As for Anderson, I’ll never root for a player to get hurt, but even as a White Sox fan, I don’t like him. If the Sox traded him this offseason for a good haul, I’d be happy with it, provided they actually addressed their need at 2B. Harrison and Leury aren’t the answer there.
Harrison was only on the White Sox to re-enforce the idea that Hahn stinks at FA when it comes to vets, at least since JR likes to saddle him with no real budget to get the players it really takes to ‘win it all’….
As for Anderson, I think his numbers are deceptive this season. Many times I see him up in critical situations and he cannot deliver. I get he is a leadoff hitter, but really a guy has to be able to drive runs in (especially at 12m a year). More often I have seen this club get a couple of guys on and all of the sudden they become the Chicago deadsticks and forget how to hit (Anderson being a notable example of this). for 12m a year this guy should be able to drive runs in. Combine that with his, and the rest of the teams, inability to stay healthy and you have to wonder what you are paying for. To me they should only exercise the option if the new manager (well, should be a new manager) likes what he hears from him.