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Lucas Giolito Done For Season

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White Sox ace Lucas Giolito was diagnosed with a mild lat strain after going for an MRI on Monday, James Fegan of The Athletic tweets. That type of injury normally takes three to four weeks to recover from, Fegan notes, so the right-handed Giolito’s year is over.

Season-ending injury aside, 2019 will go down as an enormous step forward for Giolito, who finally began to live up to the immense hype he garnered as a prospect. Giolito, whom the White Sox acquired from the Nationals in December 2016 as part of the teams’ Adam Eaton blockbuster, found himself among the majors’ worst starters as recently as a year ago. The 25-year-old turned the tables this season, though, as he fired 176 2/3 innings of 3.41 ERA/3.44 FIP ball with 11.62 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and 5.1 fWAR to reestablish himself as one of the league’s most coveted arms.

While Chicago’s way out of contention yet again as the playoffs near, its hope is Giolito will help lead it back to relevance a year from now. Giolito’s among a few highly talented starters who could help the White Sox accomplish that goal. Michael Kopech should be back from Tommy John surgery by then, and Carlos Rodon figures to return from his own TJ procedure. Meanwhile, the promising tandem of Dylan Cease and Reynaldo Lopez will be a year older and maybe a year wiser when it comes to retiring opposing hitters.

White Sox Promote Mike Shirley To Director Of Amateur Scouting

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The Chicago White Sox promoted Mike Shirley to be their new Director of Amateur Scouting, per Tom Musick of the Chicago Sun Times. The move continues a bit of organizational reshuffling, as Shirley assumes the post vacated by Nick Hostetler, who himself took a new position as special assistant to GM Rich Hahn.

Shirley becomes the point man for June’s annual draft. It’s a tough assignment in some ways, as expectations will be high after the tremendous job the White Sox have done in recent years in building the #3 ranked farm system, per Baseball America.  Optics should be good for a couple of years while these recent picks graduate to the majors, guys like Nick Madrigal, Zack Collins, and Andrew Vaughn, high draft picks who are either in the majors now or on their way.

In an article from The Athletic’s James Fegan, Chicago’s new Director of Amateur Scouting spoke about their prospects for the upcoming 2020 draft.“There are a lot of good players out there,” Shirley said. “The game has changed. The younger players have a lot more impact today for a reason. The kids are more advanced at younger ages. We know that and I think that’s an exciting part of what baseball is becoming.”

That jives with the direction the franchise has taken in recent drafts, as they’ve begun to take more chances on high school players. Shirley will be tasked with maintaining a high degree of success, but he’s likely running out of ultra-high draft choices with which to work. With a record of 62-79, the White Sox are in line for a late top-10 pick in next June’s draft, but if all goes according to plan, this could be the last time picking in the top-10 for quite some time.

White Sox Select Contract Of Danny Mendick

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The White Sox announced today that they have selected the contract of infielder Danny Mendick. He’ll be joined on the active roster by a trio of other September call-ups: righty Dylan Covey, catcher Zack Collins, and outfielder Daniel Palka.

Mendick is a 25-year-old who is capable of playing short, second, or third base. He just wrapped up his first full season at the Triple-A level, where he slashed .279/.368/.444 with 17 home runs. That’s not quite the big season it might appear to be at first glance, but it does equate to a sturdy 109 wRC+.

Jon Jay To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery

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White Sox outfielder Jon Jay will undergo surgery on his hip, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times was among those to report on Twitter. Jay will not be able to return this year.

This news wraps up a less-than-productive tenure on the South Side for Jay. He had inked a $4MM, one-year pact over the winter. At the time, the Sox were adding affordable veterans while pursuing young star Manny Machado, whose personal ties to both Jay and also-acquired veteran Yonder Alonso didn’t lead to a signing.

Of course, the White Sox also hoped that Jay would represent a stabilizing force in an outfield mix that was short on sure things. That simply hasn’t come to pass. Jay has been sidelined for lengthy stretches and has not performed when available. In 182 plate appearances on the year, he has slashed just .267/.311/.315 with nary a home run.

Jay has typically been more useful than that at the plate. He’s an accomplished pure hitter, with a .285 lifetime average, and has done enough in the on-base and slugging departments to carry a 101 wRC+ through more than four thousand career plate appearances. With the ability to line up anywhere in the outfield, Jay was a solid semi-regular player at his peak.

Now, with a diminished recent history at the plate and increasingly worrisome slate of maladies, it’s quite likely that Jay will be looking at a minor-league deal when he reenters the market this fall.

Yoan Moncada "Open To" Another Position Change

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  • White Sox star Yoan Moncada has already changed positions once during his short career. After playing second base from 2017-18, he has lined up at third for the entirety of this season. While Moncada told Scott Merkin of MLB.com he expects to continue at the hot corner “for a very, very long time,” he’d be willing to move elsewhere if it helps the team. That’s unlikely to happen, per Merkin, though he notes the White Sox could do a 180 if they’re able to land, say, third baseman Anthony Rendon in free agency. In that case, Moncada could shift back to second or even the outfield – two areas that have been weak points for Chicago in 2019.

White Sox Release Paulo Orlando

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  • The White Sox have released outfielder Paulo Orlando, who had been with the organization since it acquired him from the Dodgers on May 10. The 33-year-old Orlando didn’t produce much with the White Sox’s Triple-A team in Charlotte, as he hit just .242/.299/.426 with 10 home runs in 284 plate appearances. Orlando’s best known for his 2015-18 stint as a member of the Royals, with whom he batted .263/.289/.384 and totaled 14 HRs across 918 trips to the plate.

Dane Dunning Aiming For June 2020 Return

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White Sox righty Dane Dunning recently discussed his Tommy John rehab work with MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. The 24-year-old has begun light throwing, but that’s just the start of a lengthy rebuilding process. He’s hoping to be ready for game action by early June, which would be about 15 months after his procedure. It is certainly possible that the highly regarded hurler could have an impact in the majors as soon as 2020, though odds are that he’ll spend more time regaining his footing in the upper minors. Dunning’s sterling 2018 showing was cut short by forearm issues that ultimately ended in the operating room. But he has already shown he can thrive at the Double-A level. When he is able to make it back, Dunning says he hopes to have an even “stronger foundation” to work from. He says he’s stronger, more aware of how to care for his body, and better prepared “to maintain a healthier balance through the season.”

AL Notes: Rangers, Montero, Kiermaier, Alberto, White Sox

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Amidst a pitching staff that has continually shuffled through under-the-radar options, the Rangers have been impressed by Rafael Montero, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. A reclamation project who didn’t pitch in 2018 thanks to Tommy John srugery, Montero made a name for himself as a promising prospect in the Mets’ farm system. However, the New York organization relinquished the righty when he opted for free agency in lieu of an outright assignment. After cutting his teeth as a starting pitcher for years, the 28-year-old has transitioned to a bullpen role in Texas, where he has excelled for a team that has constructed a bullpen out of dozens of cast-offs and scrap parts. Appearing in 10 games since coming up in late July, Montero has compiled a 1.08 ERA while striking out 19 batters in 16 2/3 innings of work. He, along with the likes of Emmanuel Clase and Jonathan Hernandez, has been a second-half revelation for a team that employs an increasingly youthful bullpen after dealing Chris Martin and losing Jesse Chavez to injury. Factor in Jose Leclerc, and the Rangers may indeed have discovered some foundational bullpen pieces.

Here are all the latest updates from around the American League…

  • Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier exited Sunday’s game prematurely after crashing into the outfield wall while attempting to catch a DJ Stewart fly ball. After the game, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times offered an encouraging update on the defensive virtuoso, Tweeting that X-rays indicated no broken bones, and that Kiermaier sustained a left ribcage contusion in the collision. It seems to be a minor injury for the Rays and their center fielder, who expects to be back in the lineup after an off day tomorrow. For the time being, it appears that Kiermaier has avoided a stint on the injured list, which would have been his second this season after a thumb sprain in July.
  • In the same game, the Orioles’ Hanser Alberto sustained a knee to the head while attempting to take second base on a ball in the dirt. Manager Brandon Hyde did deliver some promising news, telling reporters (including Joe Trezza of MLB.com) that there was no evidence that the Orioles’ leading hitter suffered a concussion. Rather, it looks to be a head contusion and a cervical neck strain for Alberto. While it looks that the worst-case scenario has been avoided, it’s yet unclear what the diagnosis means for Alberto, with a recovery timeline unknown.
  • More injury news coming from Chicago, where White Sox utilityman Leury Garcia also underwent X-rays after leaving today’s game following a hit by pitch. He was struck in the lower left leg while trying to bunt against the Rangers’ Emmanuel Clase. After the game, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reported that X-rays came back negative and that Garcia’s injuries did not extend beyond a left shin contusion. He’ll be day-to-day for the South Siders, who will have an off day tomorrow before hosting the Twins for a three-game set.

White Sox GM Rick Hahn On 2020, Luis Robert

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This is Year 3 of an extensive rebuild for the White Sox, who, as expected, aren’t in contention. While the club was in the wild-card hunt at the midpoint of the season, owning a 42-44 record at the All-Star break, reality has set in during the second half. Chicago’s now 58-69, on its way to a seventh straight sub-.500 showing and an 11th consecutive season without a playoff berth.

As you’d expect, White Sox fans aren’t enamored of the franchise’s long-running skid, which general manager Rick Hahn addressed Thursday. Hahn told Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times and other reporters he understands the fans’ frustration, saying, “Oh, I get it it. We all get it. We all get the impatience. We feel the impatience.” At the same time, though, Hahn’s not audacious enough to promise a return to contention a year from now.

“Let’s talk in Glendale,” stated Hahn, referring to the team’s Arizona-based spring training headquarters. In Hahn’s view, there is “a lot to be excited about” in regards to what the White Sox are building, but he acknowledged there will be plenty of work ahead once the season ends. “In terms of putting ourselves in a position to contend, let’s get to the offseason and then set some priorities and see how good we are being able to convert on hitting those priorities before we assess it,” he said.

For now, the White Sox have  seen several major leaguers spring up as potential long-term cogs this season. The face of their position player cast, third baseman Yoan Moncada, has turned into the star the White Sox thought they were getting when they acquired him from the Red Sox in the 2016 Chris Sale blockbuster. Tim Anderson has further established himself as the White Sox’s solution at shortstop. Left fielder Eloy Jimenez hasn’t posted an eye-popping rookie season along the lines of, say, Yordan Alvarez or Pete Alonso, but he’s still an indispensable building block. And though he’s not particularly young (29), James McCann has been surprisingly effective this season, which could make him Chicago’s starting catcher again next year.

Turning to the rotation, Lucas Giolito – another of the fruits of the team’s ’16-17 offseason teardown – has morphed into a front-line starter at the age of 25. Meanwhile, Reynaldo Lopez (acquired in the same trade as Giolito) has put up a solid second half after a woeful first couple months of 2019. Those two and fellow past trade pickup Dylan Cease will return to Chicago’s rotation next season, while Michael Kopech and Carlos Rodon should factor in after recent Tommy John surgeries. The White Sox aren’t nearly as well off in the bullpen, but 25-year-old lefty Aaron Bummer at least gives the team another youthful, highly talented core member.

That’s an enviable group overall, though an injection of further talent remains necessary. For one, the Sox will need to address first base and-or designated hitter, whether that means re-signing pending free agent Jose Abreu or bringing in an outsider(s). Second base, where Yolmer Sanchez hasn’t provided much offense, has been a sore spot. The same applies to the outfield, while Chicago still must find more aid for its rotation and bullpen. But whether the franchise will open the coffers in the offseason to add high-priced talent remains to be seen.

The White Sox made some attempt to sign $300MM-plus free agents Manny Machado and Bryce Harper last winter, though their efforts ultimately came up well short. To this point, despite its big-market status, Chicago hasn’t inked a player to a larger deal than the six-year, $68MM contract it gave Abreu going into 2014. If it wants to make an earnest effort to sign, say, ace Gerrit Cole in free agency, it’ll likely need to make an offer worth at least triple the value of Abreu’s pact.

Fortunately for the White Sox, they do have yet another enticing prospect knocking on the major league door in outfielder Luis Robert. Hahn touched on Robert’s status (via Bruce Levine of 670 The Score), saying he’s “doing fantastic” with Triple-A Charlotte, but the executive expressed uncertainty as to whether the 22-year-old will make his major league debut this season.

Keeping Robert down until next year would benefit the White Sox from a service-time standpoint, as Levine notes. Should Robert reach the majors this year, he’d be on pace to become a free agent after 2025, whereas holding off on a call-up into mid-April of next season would keep him in the fold through ’26. Regardless, Robert has justified his status as one of the game’s premier prospects this year. Robert crushed High-A and Double-A pitching to start the year and has done the same since a promotion to the minors’ highest level, where he has slashed .310/.364/.665 (150 wRC+) with 13 home runs in 176 plate appearances.

Robert’s among a slew of young White Sox who could help the club return to relevance soon. In the meantime, Hahn & Co. will work this offseason to augment the roster around Chicago’s core.

White Sox Activate Yoan Moncada

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The White Sox have activated Yoan Moncada from the 10-day injured list, as per a team announcement.  Outfielder Ryan Cordell was optioned to Triple-A yesterday to open up a spot for Moncada on the 25-man roster.

Moncada was in the midst of a breakout season when he was sidelined with a Grade 1 hamstring strain back on August 1.  The infielder has hit .301/.358/.535 with 20 homers over 409 plate appearances, with some outstanding hard-contact metrics (via Statcast).  Moncada ranks in the 98th percentile in exit velocity, and in the 93rd percentile in hard-hit percentage.  While the Sox are long out of any postseason contention, Moncada will get five more weeks to add to what has already been an excellent season.

After posting average numbers in his first two Major League campaigns, Moncada’s emergence in 2019 has shown why he was regarded as one of the sport’s best prospects.  The White Sox acquired Moncada and three other noteworthy prospects from the Red Sox in the Chris Sale trade back in December 2016, and Moncada now stands as one of the major faces of Chicago’s rebuilding project.

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