The White Sox announced that infielder Gage Workman has been returned from his rehab assignment, reinstated from the 10-day injured list and designated for assignment. The club’s 40-man roster count drops to 39.
Workman started the season with the Cubs as a Rule 5 pick, selected from the Tigers. He managed to stick with the Cubs for about the first month of the regular season before being designated for assignment.
The White Sox acquired him for cash considerations, with the Rule 5 parameters transferring to Workman’s new club. He got into three games with the Sox before landing on the IL with a right hip flexor strain. He’s now healthy, but the Sox evidently didn’t want to add him back to their active roster. Per the Rule 5 restrictions, he can’t be optioned to the minors, so they have gone the DFA route instead.
The 25-year-old Workman shined for the Cubs in spring training, hitting .364/.420/.705 in 50 plate appearances. A contending Cubs team never found a way to get him any real playing time, however. He went 2-for-14 with a walk in his 15 plate appearances before being designated for assignment. He received even less playing time with the Sox, tallying all of two plate appearances.
Workman is viewed as a plus defender at third base with plenty of raw power and too much swing-and-miss in his offensive profile. He spent the 2024 season with the Tigers’ Double-A affiliate, where he batted .280/.366/.476 with 18 homers, 30 steals, an 11.7% walk rate and a bloated 27.5% strikeout rate in his third season of action at that level. He’s yet to appear in a Triple-A game.
The ChiSox could try to trade Workman in the coming days or simply put him on outright waivers. Any acquiring club would still be bound by the same Rule 5 limits. If he were to pass through unclaimed, he would be offered back to the Tigers. If that happens, Detroit could put Workman back in their system without having to put him on the 40-man roster. DFA limbo can last a week but the waiver process takes 48 hours, so any trade talks would have to come together in the next five days.
White Sox are horrible. Give him a chance
As a Sox fan, I would have kept him over Amaya
@johnny: They aren’t *quite* as bad this season as most people are saying; I think there is a bit of culture lag going on with regard to the Sox. It will be interesting to see how they do against the Reds and Cubs this week. (And it will tell us something about the relative strength of the Reds and Cubs if the Sox give one of them trouble, but not the other.) As for Workman, he will probably wind up back by the banks of the mighty Maumee.
12-29 *is* bad, Alan53. This hill your dying on is quite amazing, though.
Or actually, I think the addition of Michael A. Taylor and Greg Jones automatically makes the White Sox miles better than the Cubs, according to Alan53.
@Steinbrenner: OK. But bad isn’t “horrible.” If you think they will finish with anything like last season’s record, you are wrong. I have them finishing about 66-96 this season–bad, but not historic.
I have no hill to die on, and I certainly am not a Sox fan–but I do prefer empirical, observation-based analysis to the parroting of received false knowledge, which we see too much of here and elsewhere.
@Stein, strictly speaking, they cut Greg Jones a few days ago when they called up that big guy Elko. But, as mean-spirited as you are, we don’t really disagree: I just think that, having watched the Sox a lot already this season, “horrible” does not describe them well, or at least as well as it did last season.
Yeah you’re not saying literally. They are bad, but not as bad as last year. There’s lots of room for improvement nobody is arguing that, but at least they look more well rounded in that regard, rather than last year. It’s not a huge step up, but anything is better than what we witnessed last year. It might not seem like much compared to what we saw last year, but at least there’s some direction, might not be a lot. But I’ll take it. To never be as bad. There are times where they struggle, it’s a given. The lineup isn’t that good. The pitching is alright, other times not so good. But have held up quite fine. Some pieces that aren’t sticking around after this year, but at least we can say that now, having Quero, having some sort of a change in pace with something to go off of. It’s good knowing that we can have guys that the white sox know can play, or can hold down some games, and who can’t. That wasn’t evident for them. Holding down a lot of games, some out of reach, but it is at least better than last year. Which does seem like saying a lot because they might not seem better, but they are.
@raptor: What the people who are dissing the Sox completely don’t seem to know is that they have several new players who are impressive–Quero, Medroth, others. And they will activate Tauchman, who was the difference-maker for the Cubs against the Sox last season, and could be the difference-maker for the Sox against the Cubs this time. (He has all the intangibles.) And I’d bet my firstborn that Elko hits at least one home run at Wrigley Field this weekend. And the Cubs have never faced any of the Sox’ young pitchers before, which could be an advantage for the Sox. The Cubs had better be prepared to face a team that is better than the one they saw last season, or even in spring training.
It’s the kids who are turning the Sox around, Stein–Meidroth, Quero, Baldwin, others. Maybe you haven’t been following the Sox and don’t know about them. I’m afraid you will come to know them this weekend.
The catcher Quero, especially. He has that knack for hitting it where they ain’t. The Cubs’ pitchers had better not underestimate him.
Wow you were right.
Alan has a point. The Sox run differential at -35, is better than Baltimore, Sacto, Anaheim, Washington, Miami, Pittsburgh and Col. Still bad but they have company
Solid starting pitching gives them a higher floor, entire staff sits at 9th in the AL, 18th in MLB.
Back to Toledo
He was never actually in Toledo as he never played in AAA before this year.
Workman completed his 2025 Chicago syndicate tour.
Gage Workman now cannot wait to beat the White Sox lol
@Drasco: He is a bit of a jerk. But he will always have those two hits he got against a non-pitcher to tell his grandchildren about.
The White Sox could always try to buy him from the Tigers if they really want to keep him. If not, a return to the Tigers is probably likely as i can’t think of any team outside of maybe the Rockies that would roster a rule 5 pick for the rest of the season
White Sox should have kept him. Three games an two plate appearances is way too short a leash…
Honestly I think Milwaukee should give him a shot it can’t hurt. Nobody has been hitting much for the Brewers
I agree. The Brewers do not have a third baseman. Ortiz has been moved to SS and no one has stepped up to replace him. Oliver Dunn and Vinny Capra are not the answer. As much as I like Caleb Durbin, he does not have the arm for third base. Actually, the Brewers should put Ortiz back at third, move Turang to SS, and put Durbin at 2B.
How is he going to beat the Cubs in the crosstown series? Cub fans were ready to do something crazy after he said that just a few weeks ago. Media will be pissed now that narrative is gone.
I’ve watched Workman in a couple AA games with Erie. He can hit minor league pitching. I did not see a plus defender in my short look at him. He was at SS the 2 games I saw him in. Not super clean and fluid with the glove. He’d get the guy at 1st after a little juggle. A couple double clutches on throws. His shuffle toss to 2B on double play balls wasn’t neat. Hao-Yu Lee was the second baseman in those games and he played a much better infield defense than Workman. Even to an amateur…but I’ve watched a million professional games…Lee looked like the better prospect. At the plate too. And Lee is at AAA, Toledo and not tearing it up so far.
Workman has never played at AAA. I would think Workman will pass through waivers. I can’t see anyone (what do I know?) putting him on their 40 man roster. The Tigers, if the opportunity arises would be wise to take him back, plant him in AAA and see if he can find a swing. The Tigers have the luxury of not needing to put him on their 40 man.
Jace Jung is not chewing up ML pitching, though I think he has more upside, long term. I think Workman could be just as good at 3B as Jung…and who knows?….maybe he can find a stroke in Toledo.
I was really surprised when the Cubs took him in the Rule 5. A guy who spent three seasons in AA doesn’t sound MLB-ready to me. But, sure, stash him in Toledo and see what he can do.
Hopefully, Vierling can make the throws from 3rd to 1st. If and when he returns, I see Jace Jung going down. He is not hitting a lick.
I think Hinch really wants to keep Malloy on the roster. He’s the only serious power threat from the right side off the bench.
Expectations for Lee?
A bit much, no?
(Heavier set but shorter,.not so nimble or super athletic)?
Harris.should.cash that one.in on a bundled deal….
They gauged his work, man.
If I’m not mistaken, isn’t Gage Workman a character in a George Orwell novel?
Rule 5 Roulette:
Nearly every MLB team will claim Gage Workman during the 2025 season, then waive him on a ‘rinse-repeat’ basis. The end result? Some team winds up with a Free Gage Workman on or about Oct. 1.
Free!
To jack with Detroit, I believe the following * is taking place:
* each of the other 29 teams draws chips, one of them granting the lucky plucker Five Point Five Games of Gage, after which time they too are obligated to DFA him. The entire 2025 season is thus covered.
The winner (loser) gets his rights on the last day of the season without the burden of carrying his carcass all year long.
Ha ha Detroit!
They got 100,000 for him and they are likely to get him back for 50,000. He was given instruction by the Cubs organization and little bit by the White Sox. Chances are Detroit is getting back a better player and has the 50,000 profit. Depending how much the White Sox paid the Cubs for him they should at least break even money wise. There is the possibility that someone may put in a waiver claim or make a deal with White Sox for him but I expect he will be offered back to Detroit and the Tigers to accept him with a destination of Erie or Toledo.
Save the other $50K.
They were willing to let him go.
Yes you can save the 50,000 but you can also get back an asset cheap. Should he have been protected in the draft? That is a good question. You cant add everyone to your 40 man roster but I think that he should have been added because of his power and speed. Strikeouts are a problem that he needs to work on.
Getz better hope that there is not a MLB limit of transactions/designated for assignments in a year, he is really racking them up.
Maybe if he is driven enough they can make a rule for it and name it after him.
I wonder if the Rockies would have any interest? They have very little talent on that team. They could probably start him at 2B.
Am I the only one who has noticed that Tucker pulls up short on (possibly) catchable short fly balls? I understand not wanting to let it get past you for a triple, but let’s show a little hustle, superstar.
Maybe it’s just me. If you guys don’t see it, I withdraw the comment.
Most people here, need to get paid to watch the Cubs.
No one here noticed anything.
But.you are probably right. Why get.injured.when.that much money is waiting for.you at.the end of.the season…..