The White Sox have so far managed to stay afloat without star first-baseman Munetaka Murakami, who has been sidelined with a hamstring strain, but there’s no question that any reinforcements to their lineup are a welcome development. Outfielder Austin Hays seemed on the verge of a return from his calf strain before suffering a rehab setback and being shut down due to recurring soreness. Same for catcher Kyle Teel, who suffered a separate knee injury while rehabbing the preseason hamstring strain that has prevented him from making his season debut. The good news is, help could be on the way for the White Sox lineup.
OF Everson Pereira will begin an injury rehab assignment tonight with Class AAA Charlotte. He’s been on the 10-day injured list since 4/29 with a right pectoral strain. #whitesox
— Brooke Fletcher (@BrookeFletcher) June 5, 2026
Pereira, 25, is dealing with his third injury of the young season already, but has been a productive bat in the White Sox lineup when healthy. He sat out a good portion of the spring with an oblique strain but returned in time for Opening Day. Then, he sprained his ankle attempting a catch near the wall during the White Sox second series of the season. Pereira returned for a couple weeks before leaving a game against the Angels after an awkward swing and being placed on the injured list with a strained pec on April 29th. Now, he returns to game action in hopes of rejoining the White Sox lineup in short order.
When healthy, Pereira has been a solid contributor in the White Sox lineup. The former top 100 prospect is slashing .250/.310/.453 with three home runs and a .763 OPS for the season. He made more consistent contact against left-handers, but two of Pereira’s three home runs came against right-handed pitching, and the White Sox believe he has the upside to be their every day right fielder. The White Sox will certainly look to get him regular at bats upon his return, so it raises interesting questions about their roster.
Who should stay and who should go for the White Sox?
As currently constructed, I think there are a few options for a corresponding move. Sam Antonacci, Tristan Peters, and Randal Grichuk have performed well in their roles and I don’t anticipate the White Sox changing anything on that front. The infield is set with Jacob Gonzalez directly filling in for Murakami at first base, and the White Sox will keep the catching mix the same. Andrew Benintendi has hit the ball well over the past two weeks and the White Sox no doubt value his veteran presence. That leaves only a handful of players: Derek Hill, Luisangel Acuna, and Rikuu Nishida
Luisangel Acuna is a player White Sox fans have wanted off the roster for a long time. He’s just 21-for-110 this season with very little impact contact. His main contributions have come from his speed and defensive versatility, and there’s some value there as a part-time player. I don’t see the White Sox moving on from him this early, especially since he has no minor league options and would need to be placed on waivers. And for what it’s worth, Acuna is hitting .294 since May 25th.
The real decision, in my opinion, is between Derek Hill and Rikuu Nishida. Hill has produced in some clutch moments for the White Sox primarily playing against lefties, but with Grichuk and Pereira in the lineup, will there be a spot for him to continue receiving at bats against lefties? In theory, Pereira could slide over to center against lefties and play right against righties and they could make it work. But would that make the group too right-handed? With minor league options remaining, optioning Nishida would be the simplest solution, but they’d be losing a left-handed option in the outfield. It’s a sacrifice they can make if they truly believe Pereira can play against both righties and lefties, but it limits the matchups they can play for late in games.
If I had to guess, I think the White Sox value Derek Hill enough as a veteran presence that they’ll keep him around and option Nishida to Triple-A. It’s a move that can always be undone later if it doesn’t work out and it gives them an opportunity to see if Everson Pereira can be an everyday player at the big league level.
However the lineup looks when Pereira returns, he’ll be a much-needed boost to a lineup that’s managed to hold its own without its premiere power hitter so far. With a season-defining stretch of games coming, the White Sox need all the help they can get.
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