4 good options to replace Tim Anderson while he’s out
Danny Mendick
Danny Mendick is someone for the White Sox to consider in Tim Anderson’s absence.
Danny Mendick was called upon to replace Anderson on Sunday after he limped off the field. Mendick performed well, recording two hits and two runs scored en route to a 5-4 victory in extra innings.
Mendick first broke into the big leagues in 2019. He is a scrappy player that can play multiple infield positions and do a lot of the little things well. The White Sox like Mendick for his versatility and defense but his lack of offense has had him bounce from Triple-A Charlotte to Chicago like a yo-yo over the course of the past four seasons.
Mendick has been sent down to Triple-A and then recalled seven times since May 3rd, 2021, logging a total of 14 roster transactions.
Still, he is beloved in the organization for his flexible and hard-working mentality. He has been asked to play second base, third base, shortstop, left field, right field, and center field. At one point he was even asked to pitch in a blowout against the Red Sox.
In 2019 he was named a MiLB.com organizational All-Star for the White Sox. He batted .308 in 16 games for the White Sox that season. Since then his average has taken a dip every season.
In 2020 he batted .243 in 33 games but did hit a career-high three home runs. In 2021, he batted just .220 in 71 games. He has been swinging the bat better as of late. Mendick has a .259 average in 12 games with the South Siders this season.
If Anderson is only out for a month or so then Mendick will be a more than capable replacement. On the defensive end, he provides a slight upgrade over Anderson. Mendick has only made two errors in his MLB career and none of them came while he was playing short. This could be a huge opportunity for Mendick to expand his role with the team if he performs well.
With Danny Mendick you know what you are going to get. He is a solid defender that won’t hit well. The White Sox will be able to stay afloat with him for a little while but unless the rest of the lineup cleans up their act offensively, it will be hard to mask Mendick’s offensive shortcomings.