From "Tim Elko is making case to join White Sox with recent stretch" to "White Sox are promoting Tim Elko for MLB debut Saturday" in a matter of days, the fans on the South Side are excited for the first time in a very long time.
Chicago reportedly made the decision on Friday evening to promote the fan favorite who has dominated Triple-A for 31 games this year. Elko, who isn't a highly-regarded prospect by any means, is hitting .348 with a 1.100 OPS. He has 10 homers, 23 RBI and 15 walks in 130 plate appearances.
The White Sox couldn't wait any longer, even if the 26-year-old doesn't fit the typical prospect mold. Fans couldn't take much more of Andrew Vaughn, who has subtracted 1.1 WAR from the 10-28 White Sox. That almost seems impossible.
Though Elko could become a victim of the bottomless pit that is the White Sox offense, there's nothing wrong with a little bit of hope for a team that has experienced so much turmoil since their last playoff appearance in 2021.
Source confirms the Sox are promoting Tim Elko to the major league team tomorrow. @suntimes_sports
— Vinnie Duber (@VinnieDuber) May 9, 2025
White Sox calling up fan favorite slugger Tim Elko to make MLB debut
Chicago drafted Elko in the 10th round back in 2022 and he's gradually climbed the ladder. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound slugger has 61 homers in 325 minor league games. Even more impressively, however, he's hit .293 with an .843 OPS. He notably made an impact in the Arizona Fall League last year, too, hitting four homers and driving in 13 runs across 11 games.
The future group of "savior" prospects such as Noah Schultz, Kyle Teel, Hagen Smith and Braden Montgomery (among others) might be what most people are looking forward to, but those timelines are likely for later in the year or at some point in 2026.
Elko provides some intrigue and a potential spark right now. By no means are the White Sox destined for much of anything, but the very least the organization can do is provide a semblance of a reason to watch for the remainder of 2025. For the time being, Elko's progress will be heavily tracked as fans hope for better days at first base.