What's a Chicago White Sox season without a player going down with an injury and Jake Burger getting called up to produce? It's been an ongoing process that feels like has been going on forever now. That will remain to be the same in 2023.
Within five games into the major league season, White Sox outfielder and designated hitter Eloy Jimenez went down with a pulled hamstring and was put on the 10-day injured list. Jimenez has claimed that the injury is minor and that he will be back on the field shortly.
The question is, if Burger produces, which he usually does, will the Chicago White Sox finally keep him on the major league roster?
Burger only had two plate appearances in today's rubber match with the San Francisco Giants but he put together two efficient at-bats against a left-handed pitcher, Alex Wood.
Jake Burger did well in his first Chicago White Sox game of the season.
Jake Burger's 116.5 miles per hour double was the second-highest exit velocity on a baseball thus far in the early season. The only person Burger is behind is the magnificent power hitter from the New York Yankees, Giancarlo Stanton.
Burger was taken out of the game for Gavin Sheets due to a right-handed Giant reliever coming into the game for Alex Wood but he finished the day going 1-2 with a double and a flyout to the warning track.
Jake Burger mashes baseballs whenever he is up from Triple-A and it's time to seriously consider him as a permanent player for the Chicago White Sox.
Although there is yet to be a spot open for him in the starting lineup, he is a guy that needs to be a member of the club's bench. He is a source of power, especially against left-handed pitching, that can help produce runs for the Chicago White Sox throughout the 2023 season.
Jake Burger has been called up to replace Eloy Jimenez on the major League roster. It is a bad break for the ballclub and Eloy. Some players have a very difficult time staying healthy and Eloy falls into that category. Jake can provide power and the hope is he drives in some runs
— Steve Stone (@stevestone) April 5, 2023
If the White Sox chooses to demote him back to Charlotte once Jimenez's IL stint is over, the organization might as well try to ship him off via trade.
Jake Burger is an MLB-caliber hitter and there is an abundance of teams that would love to have Burger on their team but, most importantly, consistently on their MLB roster.
So while Jake Burger is up with the team at the moment, based on previous times, the White Sox will most likely send him back down to Charlotte in the near future.
It might be time to find a trade suitor with Burger involved and if it does ever happen, hopefully, the White Sox will find a replacement that also fits with their roster.