In a tough blow to the Chicago White Sox's bench, Everson Pereira has landed on the seven-day injured list with a concussion. The 25-year-old has emerged as a capable fourth outfielder for the Pale Hose when healthy this season, though that's been a rarity in 2026.
This marks Pereira's fourth injury in just the last few months, as a spring oblique strain gave way to ankle and pec injuries in April. He's produced a respectable .232/.299/.420 (98 wRC+) while playing league-average defense in the outfield, making his repeated absences tough to stomach.
Luckily, the White Sox have come prepared, as they're calling up prospect Junior Pérez to take the place of Pereira.
Prior to tonight’s series finale at the New York Yankees, the Chicago White Sox placed outfielder Everson Pereira on the seven-day injured list with a concussion and recalled outfielder Junior Pérez from Class AAA Charlotte.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) June 18, 2026
Perez will be making his MLB debut whenever he appears in a game, and he offers a classical boom-or-bust profile that should be equal parts fun and frustrating to watch.
Junior Perez has loud tools but elevated strikeout numbers
If you're not familiar with Perez's game, don't worry -- you're not alone. The White Sox only acquired him about a month ago in a low-stakes deal with the Athletics, sending out Single-A pitcher Jackson Nove in exchange.
Perez comes equipped with 55-grade power and 60-grade speed, a tantalizing combination when he puts everything together. He certainly did last year, hitting .231/.348/.473 (114 wRC+) with 26 home runs and 27 steals in 137 games. That performance was so dominant that the A's felt obligated to include him on their 40-man roster over the offseason in order to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
Unfortunately, the holes in his game were exposed in a big way at the start of this year, as his strikeout rate spiked again to 33.1% and his power output declined. Eventually, the Athletics designated him for assignment, which opened up the door for the White Sox to come in and grab him for a meager cost.
At his best, Perez is a dynamic power-speed threat who gets on base a lot thanks to a patient approach at the plate. At his worst, he's a strikeout machine who can't put the bat on the ball, which is mostly what he's been this year; his 37.9% strikeout rate with Charlotte leads all of Triple-A since he was acquired.
He's got a decent floor thanks to his plus outfield defense and speed, two skills that won't detiorate even when things are going poorly at the plate. Still, this is a high-risk, high-reward call-up by the front office, as the holes in Perez's swing will almost certainly be exposed by MLB pitching.
Nevertheless, his arrival continues a youth movement that is imbuing a ton of hope into the fanbase. Perez's first game will mark the White Sox's league-leading 13th MLB debut this season, and just about every one has contributed in a big way.
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