The White Sox are signing outfielder Joshua Palacios to a minor league deal, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. The Ballengee Group client elected free agency earlier this week after being outrighted by the Pirates.
Palacios, 29, has bounced around the majors in the past few years. He has suited up for the Blue Jays, Nationals and Pirates in the four most recent big league seasons. Broadly speaking, he has hit well in the minors without finding success in the majors.
He has been sent to the plate 433 times thus far in his big league career, with a .230/.286/.364 line in those. That translates to a wRC+ of 75, indicating he’s been 25% below league average overall. He also took 781 minor league plate appearances in that 2021-24 span with a .303/.387/.484 line and 131 wRC+.
The gap between his major and minor league numbers has led to him frequently being sent to the farm and back. He exhausted his final option year in 2024 and is now out of options, which got him squeezed off Pittsburgh’s 40-man.
If he puts together another good minor league showing with the White Sox, they should be able to give him some big league playing time later in the year. Their outfield mix currently consists of Luis Robert Jr., Andrew Benintendi, Travis Jankowski, Austin Slater and Michael A. Taylor. All of those players should be available in midseason trade talks, as they all have fairly narrow windows of control on a White Sox team that isn’t expecting to compete in the near term.
Assuming some of those players do indeed get traded in the coming months, the White Sox have a bunch of guys who could pick up some of the playing time. Greg Jones is on the 40-man roster but currently on optional assignment. Guys like Dominic Fletcher, Corey Julks, Oscar Colás and Zach DeLoach have been bumped from the 40-man but are still in the system as non-roster depth. Palacios will join that latter group of guys and will try to earn his way back to the majors.
Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images
How many games would Chicago win against dodgers in 162?
Oof…out of 162 maybe 20? Is that generous?
I can’t even think about the damage that Dodger lineup would do against that White Sox bullpen after seeing each guy 40 or 50 times.
Murfee blew one the other day, bad call there from Veneble. Shane Smith had it going, should have kept him in until he gave up a run, had a 3-0 lead.
Starting pitching has been fairly good though. Outside of Burke getting shelled yesterday. Martin Perez had a great start, was mowing them down and he is a ground ball pitcher. Great development for the White Sox. Shane Smith is also looking like a nice addition.
Benentendi is a real good hitter, Luis Robert is a real good hitter, if Vaughn can get it going this season, the Sox will be in some games. Brooks Baldwin is a good player, can hit a little, can play IF/OF, good utility player. Bullpen is short on arms.
Teel, Montgomery and Montgomery will be up soon, Meidroth will be up soon. Id say keep Robert and Benintendi. Smith, Taylor and Schultz make the jump next season. Keep Perez and Smith, we will have some nice depth in the rotation. Move Burke to the bullpen, Cannon and Martin could be good in the bullpen too.
Did you just say benitendi is a real good hitter? Or was I dreaming
I take Benintendi over Robert because he is consistent. Benintendi’s issue has been injuries, he cant stay healthy, but when he is healthy, he is a real good player. Robert is an all star caliber player, I really like his approach at the plate, he has a strong stance, a nice short swing, a lot of power. Two really good players on the White Sox, and Im telling you, Brooks Baldwin is going to be in the league for a long time.
bwmiller: You’re right, Murfee should’ve never come in in that game. The sad thing about Getz is, anyone who plays well be be traded away. He’s not building a team, he’s just recycling the same garbage players. At this point I don’t know what he’s trying to do. A player like Smith shows, at least for one start, that he can pitch so let’s trade him away. At what point does he say, “This guy is good, let’s keep him and keep building around him.” That isn’t happening. All I can say is, don’t get too attached to any of these players. Oh, and, nice pick up with Palacios. It must be garbage day today.
bwmiller: Just not with the Sox.
The problem is… they will be lucky to get 5-iings out from the starting staff. None of them have over-powering stuff. And, relay mostly on offspeed/junk.
The bullpen is just as bad/if not worse from last year. They will definately loose 110+ games this season again.
And, this infatuation with garbage picking other teams bust outs for the outfielders is inept at best.
Michael Taylor has had a good start, Austin Slater is the best of the lot. With Benintendi and Robert in the OF, and Brooks Baldwin capable of playing all three spots, they are fairly well covered.
They are probably looking to trade Robert, I cant see them picking up his option unless he has a real big season and they cant find a trade for him.
Good analysis of a team that is getting better. But it probably won’t be popular with the know-nothings commenting here, because they are bullies who are getting off on repeating un-thoughtful insults of the White Sox that they have heard or read elsewhere.
People should not have their hopes up with this org.
I seriously doubt any of those guys are up this year. Never mind being any sort of ready as Montgomery was forecast to be, but obviously over matched right now in the minors I just do not think there is any benefit for them to be starting their clocks for a team that will be miserable, as any veteran talent they have currently on the roster will be likely traded if they can (and Im sure Getz will (as ‘The Chairman’s’ mummy loves spending less and lusts for those ‘traded for cash’ deals) by the AS break.
Heck, if they really wanted these guys to learn at the big league level then Quero probably could have been up late last season but was not even though his bat looked ready. I doubt the Sox are doing anything but competing for that #1 overall draft pick for next season and you do not do that with a few of your ‘top prospects’ up in the majors, especially when this rebuild has barely gotten started. They already should have learned a lesson by bringing up Thorpe when this team was not close to competing, now his clock is running and he is done for this season and part of next. His claim to Sox fame may be being the first traded If and when the next rebuild occurs.
ned1138: I couldn’t agree with you more. Anyone with any ability will be traded, but that’s why players like Slater and Perez came to the Sox, to show other teams they can still play and get flipped at Colson Montgomery is regressing with just 1 hit so far at AAA. He’s going the way of another can’t-miss prospects, Oscar Colas. I don’t know what Getz wants but it doesn’t seem as if it’s a competitive team
Meidroth and Teel will force the issue this season. Colson Montgomery has some work to do in AAA, but he is clamoring for the SS job. Its currently his to take if he starts hitting in AAA. Braden Montgomery could be held back a season.
Maddox didn’t have overpowering stuff and he turned out just fine. You don’t necessarily need overpowering stuff, just need to know how to pitch.
Getz is way in over his head and only in the position because he’s a cheap hire and with no track record.
The miser who owns the White Sox is a billionaire and is only concerned with profits, not fielding a competitive team. MLB should force him to sell. MLB Commissioner Manford is attempting to force the Tampa Rays owner to sell his team, which is far more successful than the White Sox.
Any player, who knows how to play at a major league level is traded away for so-called prospects who usually can’t play. Case in point, Cease & Crochet. Reinsdork would never pay players what they’re worth. Is this a way to rebuild this failing franchise? I don’t think so!
Just at attendance. It shows that fans are losing interest in this team. They were near the bottom of attendance during their record losing season and appears that this trend will continue. When will MLB Commissioner Manford wake up? Constantly seeing 30+ thousand empty seats during a major league game. Oakland is out drawing the White Sox while playing in a minor league facility
I have been a fan for over 60 years and can’t take it anymore with a constant AAAA team.
SELL THE TEAM REINSDORK!!!!!!
The White Sox have no idea how to develop players. Queto should be on the major league roster replacing Andrew Vaughn at 1st base. Vaughn was promoted as a bat ready player by the White Sox brain trust when he was drafted. He’s a minus league level player at best. They should have DFA’d him instead of Sheets, who may not hit for average but has far superior power than Vaughn.
This organization is a complete mess and should be forced sell, as Reinsdork refuses to put a competitive team on the field year after year.
mohoney: That Dodgers lineup is going to tear up a lot of bullpens. And the Braves should’ve walked Ohtani in the ninth instead of pitching to him. Stupid.
You must be one of the posters I have owned
Depth/Jankowski’s replacement when they DFA him for Tauchman.
If Tauchman puts up good numbers, he’s probably a trade chip at the deadline.
Good luck! Seems like a good kid. Hopefully it works out.
Easy guy to root for. Hope he tears it up for the Sox
Josh is a great pick up. Best of luck!
Dumpster diving Getz his man,garbage
They’re signing him because his AAA production makes him a tradeable asset, even if he never succeeds in MLB.
I’m starting to think the Sox are now some sort of reality contest: “So you think you can play in the Majors (and also do it for dirt cheap)?”
You ought to pitch this idea to TLC. It’s better than half the reality shows they have