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Southside Showdown

3 new potential backup catchers for the Chicago White Sox

By Mitchell Kaminski

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - MAY 30: Catcher Kurt Suzuki #24 of the Los Angeles Angels catches in the game against the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum on May 30, 2021 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - MAY 30: Catcher Kurt Suzuki #24 of the Los Angeles Angels catches in the game against the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum on May 30, 2021 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Chicago White Sox, Kurt Suzuki
(Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images) /

Kurt Suzuki

Kurt Suzuki would be a fantastic catcher for the Chicago White Sox to bring in.

Kurt Suzuki has been a notorious White Sox killer over the course of his 15-year career. His best season came in 2014 with the Minnesota Twins when he hit .288 and made the American League All-Star team. Suzuki has never been much of a power hitter but before a down year in 2021, he hit 50 home runs over the previous four seasons. He also posted a 112 OPS+ during that span.

Suski can hit for average too. In the past ten seasons, he has hit at least .250 or higher in seven of them. Between 826 plate appearances with the Nationals and Braves, he slashed .268/.332/.453. That’s better than the league average in offensive output and leaps and is significantly better than the average for a catcher.

What might make Suzuki especially intriguing for White Sox brass is his postseason experience. He won the World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019, playing in 10 games during their postseason run. He notched two hits in the World Series including a home run.

Suzuki is not a very good pitch framer but with limited playing time, his offensive output should be enough to overcome his defensive shortcomings. For a single season, he would be a solid option behind Grandal.

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