The Chicago White Sox have had a bevy of injuries this season. Some of them have been simple and haven’t taken players out of the lineup for too long. Guys like Jose Abreu have experienced this kind of injury and missed minimal time.
We also have those injuries that have been much more serious and have taken guys out for longer periods of time. Those players that have suffered that type of injury include Luis Robert, Eloy Jimenez, and Billy Hamilton.
The Chicago White Sox have been able to win games thanks to their depth.
They have had to put players in positions that they may not necessarily feel comfortable playing and those players have managed to excel. That’s been the winning formula for the White Sox. Who are some of the players that have stepped up and filled in during the absence of other players from injury?
Brian Goodwin has been on the roster for 11 games heading into this weekend series and it doesn’t look like he is going anywhere anytime soon. Goodwin burst onto the scene early on but has since cooled off since his big game. The former minor league outfielder brought up from the Charlotte Knights, a AAA affiliate of the White Sox has been stable in the outfield for the Sox.
While his defensive capabilities are solid, Goodwin’s offense could use a little work. Over those 11 games he has played, Goodwin’s slash line is .256/.359/.500. It’s not terrible but it is a small sample size. Fans would like to see more of the Brian Goodwin that they saw in his breakout game.
Danny Mendick has been thrust into the lineup thanks to the injury to Nick Madrigal. Mendick was a backup that played off and on for the White Sox this season but now he’s a full-time starter at second base. He has played in a total of 40 games this year and has 106 plate appearances. Through this Thursday, he is batting .209/.314/.308. He hasn’t given us that many big moments but his time should come.
Even though he is still injured, outfielder Billy Hamilton has shown some promise when he is in the lineup. Fans won’t forget the great short string of games that he put together before he was injured. We will hope to get more of the same when he returns from his oblique injury.
To this point, Hamilton is hitting .217/.247/.406 so the team is surely missing him right now. With Hamilton, you get strong base running and the opportunity for a steal as well as an ability to extend the play. The White Sox are going to be very happy to welcome him back.
Finally, another player that has stepped up to the plate for this team and given them some help is Leury Garcia. With all of the issues in the outfield, it’s been nice to have Garcia available. Going into the Seattle series his slash line is .249/.305/.326 and he has knocked in 25 runs to help contribute to a few wins for the Sox. Granted, you wouldn’t mind seeing some better numbers out of him but he’s been a steady presence in the lineup.
There are other guys that the team has relied on during this period to help get them through the rash of injuries. Guys like Yermin Mercedes, Zack Collins, and Jake Lamb among others have contributed to the team’s success.
We can only hope that the injuries subside, players get back into the lineup, and this team keeps moving forward piling up wins along the way. Until everyone is back and healthy, the White Sox are going to have to rely on guys like Goodwin, Medick, Hamilton, and Garcia to help them keep up their hopes of making it to the World Series this season.