Lucas Giolito's outing wasted by pathetic White Sox offense

Lucas Giolito

Here's the good news for the White Sox: Lucas Giolito is pitching much better than he did last season.

The 28-year-old right-hander tossed seven innings of one-run ball against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday at Guaranteed Rate Field. For Giolito, it was his fourth quality start in his past five games, and his fifth consecutive start of six innings or more.

Too bad the Sox wasted it.

The Twins scored five runs in the top of the 12th inning to snap a 2-2 tie, and finished off a 7-3 victory. With the win, Minnesota (18-14) salvages the final game of the three-game series and snaps a three-game winning streak for the Sox (10-22).

This was a missed opportunity for the Sox, on multiple levels. Sox batters went a pathetic 1 for 16 with runners in scoring position in this game. The only hit came in the bottom of the 12th, while they were trailing 7-2. It was a meaningless RBI single by Eloy Jimenez that scored ghost runner Billy Hamilton.

Hamilton, who entered the game as a pinch runner for Andrew Vaughn in the eighth inning, twice made it to third base with zero outs -- in the eighth inning and in the 10th. Had he scored in the eighth, the Sox probably win. Had he scored in the 10th, the Sox definitely win.

Alas, nobody could muster so much as a sacrifice fly with the game on the line.

In the eighth inning, Hamilton stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. However, both Jimenez and Tim Anderson hit grounders to the left side of the infield that Hamilton could not score on. Luis Robert Jr. was intentionally walked, and Hanser Alberto grounded out.

Hamilton started the 10th inning on second base as the ghost runner. Jimenez was intentionally walked to start the inning, and both men advanced on a wild pitch.

Anderson was at the plate with second and third and no outs, but he swung through a 3-2 slider that looked hittable for strike three. Robert Jr. was intentionally walked again to load the bases for Alberto, who swung and missed at a 1-2 pitch that hit him in the arm. Strike three. If he had just not swung, that's a game-winning HBP. Then Elvis Andrus struck out to end the threat.

Anderson, Alberto and Andrus all were guilty of swinging through or fouling off hanging sliders in that inning. It was ludicrous that nobody put a ball in play.

The Twins finally broke through for five runs in the 12th off the combination of Alex Colome and Sammy Peralta. The ghost runner scored from second when Anderson booted a grounder to shortstop, capping a terrible day for the Sox's best all-around player.

Pity Giolito, who left after seven innings with a 2-1 lead. The Sox bullpen couldn't hold it, as Reynaldo Lopez game up a game-tying home run to Byron Buxton in the eighth. Lopez has now allowed six homers in only 13.1 innings pitched this season. It's time to reconsider his role. He cannot be allowed to pitch in high leverage against the other team's best hitters (such as Buxton) until he figures out how to keep the ball in the park.

The Sox started this series nine games back of the Twins. They cut that lead to seven after winning the first two games, and there's no question they should have won Thursday to pull within six games. Instead, they kicked this game away, and they are eight back. 

Of course, team management is saying they can get back in the race. There's enough time left to do that in the season, sure, but missed opportunities like Thursday do not inspire confidence.

Burger to IL

Third baseman Jake Burger has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique. Lenyn Sosa was recalled to take his place on the roster. 

Sosa started at second base Thursday and shifted to third late in the game. He went 0 for 4 with two Ks, to drop his season average to .140. You may recall that Sosa was just sent to Triple-A on Tuesday. There was a good reason for that -- he's not ready to play in the big leagues.

Instead, injuries and a lack of depth have forced him into a role that he's not prepared to fill. General manager Rick Hahn has once again built a one-ply roster. The 10-22 record is not an accident.

Liam Hendriks speaks; Keynan Middleton(!) closes out a victory for the White Sox

White Sox closer Liam Hendriks met the media Wednesday and made his first public comments since announcing his diagnosis with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in January.

Hendriks, wearing a shirt that read "struckout cancer," is in remission, and all systems are go for him to head out on a rehab assignment later this week. He'll join Triple-A Charlotte in Gwinnett, and Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Hendriks will need four or five appearances with the Knights, according to a report from MLB.com's Scott Merkin.

There hasn't been a lot of positive news this season, but there's no question Hendriks' improving health is the feel-good story of the year for the Sox. If he returns to pitch effectively so soon after treatment, it would be remarkable. 

People around the game of baseball, not just in Chicago, are pulling for him.

Meanwhile, on the field, the Sox have won three in a row. They secured their first series win of 2023 with a 6-4 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.

And get this ... the Sox bullpen was excellent, with four relievers combining to throw four shutout innings after starter Dylan Cease labored to get through five innings. 

Keynan Middleton, who started the season in Triple-A, earned his first MLB save in two years. He faced four batters in the ninth inning, striking out three and walking one. The final strikeout came against All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa, who came to the plate representing the tying run.

Middleton has been a pleasant surprise. In 11 appearances since his recall, he's posted a 2.89 ERA, and now he's being trusted in higher-leverage situations. He might stick in the bullpen, even after Hendriks returns.

Gregory Santos (1-0) got four outs and earned his first major league win. He deserved it, because he pitched out of a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the top of the seventh, while the score was tied 4-4. And it wasn't just any jam either -- he had to face Correa, Byron Buxton and Trevor Larnach, the 3-4-5 batters in the Minnesota order.

Correa grounded to shortstop, and Tim Anderson threw home to get the force at the plate. Buxton bounced back to the mound. Santos knocked the ball down with his pitching hand, gathered the ball quickly and threw home for the force and the second out. Then Larnach struck out swinging on a 3-2 slider.

The Sox grabbed the lead in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Eloy Jimenez. Pinch runner Billy Hamilton scored from second base on an infield grounder in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving the Sox an insurance run that they ended up not needing.

Luis Robert Jr. hit his sixth home run of the season, a 3-run shot in the first inning. In his second game back from the injured list, Anderson went 3 for 4 with three singles, a walk, an RBI and a run scored.

The Sox are 10-21 and will look for a three-game sweep Thursday afternoon. Lucas Giolito starts for the South Siders. Minnesota will counter with Pablo Lopez.

White Sox make 11 roster moves, beat Twins in 10 innings

Tim Anderson

Andrew Benintendi's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted the White Sox to a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.

It took 30 games, but the Sox (9-21) have finally won two in a row for the first time in the 2023 season. But the biggest news of the day came during the afternoon, when the club announced a series of 11 roster moves.

In the 40-plus years I've been following this team, I don't think I've seen anything quite like it. I guess you might say it's indicative of the fact that things have not been going well. 

Let's take a look at the comings and goings.

Who's here?

• Tim Anderson (sprained knee) was activated off the 10-day injured list. He played shortstop and batted leadoff Tuesday night for the first time since suffering the injury April 10. The Sox went 3-15 during his 18-game absence.
• Hanser Alberto (groin strain) was activated off the 10-day injured list. He appeared in Tuesday's game as a late-inning defensive replacement and scored the winning run as the ghost runner in the 10th inning.
• Veteran right-hander Alex Colome had his contract selected from Triple-A Charlotte. Colome served as the Sox closer in 2019-20. He pitched two-thirds of an inning Tuesday night and gave up a game-tying solo home run to Minnesota's Nick Gordon.
• Outfielder Billy Hamilton had his contract selected from Triple-A Charlotte. This is also his second stint with the Sox. He was a member of the 2021 AL Central championship team. He appeared in Tuesday's game as a pinch runner in the ninth inning. He stole a base, but was stranded at third.
• Pitcher Sammy Peralta had his contract selected from Triple-A Charlotte. The 24-year-old has never pitched in the majors. He figures to be deployed as the second lefty out of the bullpen -- or maybe the first lefty, given how bad Aaron Bummer has pitched this season.

Who's gone?

• Veteran relief pitcher Joe Kelly was placed on the paternity list. This move was expected Tuesday.
• Right fielder Oscar Colas was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. The decision to give the 24-year-old rookie a starting job proved premature, as Colas batted .211/.265/.276 with only one home run in 25 games. He'll need to work on his plate discipline before he can return to the majors. Once again, right field looks like a sore spot for the Sox.
• Second baseman Lenyn Sosa was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. The 23-year-old is not ready for the big leagues at this time. He batted .151/.167/.245 in 16 games with one homer. With Anderson's return, Elvis Andrus moves from shortstop back to second base.
• Utility player Romy Gonzalez was placed on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. A fake injury? You decide. Gonzalez is batting .139/.139/.194, and he's struggled at every position he's played defensively. Had he been optioned to Charlotte, no one would have batted an eye.
• Veteran reliever Jake Diekman was designated for assignment. The lefty was the only acquisition made by the Sox at last season's trade deadline, and he was a disaster. He had a 6.52 ERA in 26 games with the Sox in 2022. This year, he was 0-1 with a 7.94 ERA in 13 games. The evidence suggests the 36-year-old's career might be over.
• Minor league pitcher Franklin German was designated for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster for some of the additions noted above.

How much impact will these moves make? My thinking is that Anderson is the only one that moves the needle, but it's clear that Sox brass is shaking it up to try to save this sagging season. 

What else is there to do right now?

Report: White Sox add Jake Marisnick to outfield mix

Jake Marisnick

Maybe the Charlotte Knights need outfielders? They probably do, especially if Oscar Colas is expected to start the 2023 season with the White Sox.

I'm just trying to think of reasons why the Sox are stockpiling veteran outfielders on minor league contracts. Earlier this offseason, they picked Victor Reyes and Billy Hamilton off the scrap heap. According to reports, they added 10-year veteran Jake Marisnick on a minor league deal over the weekend.

Marisnick, 31, is getting an invitation to spring training, and if he makes the club, he will reportedly earn a salary of $1.3 million.

We've asked the question before on this blog: If Luis Robert gets hurt at any point during the 2023 season, who plays center field?

Marisnick is a possible answer. He's always been a good defensive player. He can play any of the three outfield spots and do so in an above-average way.

Unfortunately, he's bounced around the league -- five teams since 2019 -- because he's never been a good hitter. His career slash line is .228/.281/.384 over 831 games. He's passable against left-handed pitching -- a career .704 OPS -- but he's struggled to a .640 OPS against right-handers over his career.

Injuries have also crept in. Thumb surgery limited Marisnick to only 31 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2022. He batted. .234/.272/.390 with two homers, six doubles and six RBIs in 82 plate appearances.

Obviously, there's a reason he's available on a minor league deal. 

As we've noted, the Sox have question marks in the outfield once you get past Robert and free agent acquisition Andrew Benintendi. The rookie Colas is the presumptive favorite to play right field, and nobody knows who the fourth outfielder will be. 

Perhaps the Sox are counting on one of Reyes, Hamilton or Marisnick to win the job. I'd prefer a more solid option in a "win-now" season, but we know the Sox are prone to "knocking on wood" more often than not when it comes to matters of roster depth.

White Sox make Andrew Benintendi signing official

Andrew Benintendi

Andrew Benintendi is now wearing No. 23 for the White Sox. His signing became official Tuesday after he passed his physical, and the outfielder met with the media Wednesday afternoon.

The structure of the five-year, $75 million contract is notable. Benintendi receives a $3 million signing bonus, and the rest of it is backloaded:

• 2023: $8 million
• 2024: $16.5 million
• 2025: $16.5 million
• 2026: $16.5 million
• 2027: $14.5 million

We've discussed before how the Sox are bumping up against their self-imposed payroll limits for the 2023 season, so perhaps they convinced Benintendi to take a little less money in the first year of the contract in order to free up space to make one more free agent signing.

All of the big free agents are off the board now, but the Sox still have needs at second base, in the outfield and in the starting rotation.

We're hearing more talk of the Sox being satisfied with their internal options at second base and starting pitcher. I'm not satisfied, but my roster evaluations tend to be different than those of the Sox front office. 

But I digress.

Is there another outfield signing in the future? Perhaps the Sox would be interested in Adam Duvall, or some other right-handed hitting outfielder? 

It would make sense. The projected starting outfield is Benintendi in left, Luis Robert in center and rookie Oscar Colas in right. (Eloy Jimenez is a designated hitter, as far as I'm concerned.)

Victor Reyes and Billy Hamilton will be in spring training on minor league contracts, but neither man should be anything more than a fifth outfielder.

The Sox need a reliable fourth outfielder in case the rookie Colas struggles. Not to mention, they need a reliable fourth outfielder in the event that Robert gets injured again. We've yet to see Robert play 100 games in a season, so it only makes sense to have a sensible option in place should a backup center fielder be needed.

Right now, Colas is probably the backup center fielder, which isn't fair to the rookie. Or, maybe Hamilton is the backup center fielder, but frankly, he's not good enough to be trusted in that role.

I'd prefer a right-handed bat for the outfield, since Colas bats left. We'll see if the Sox have a move up their sleeve.

Tim Anderson headed to the IL, other White Sox roster moves

Tim Anderson

Rosters expand from 26 to 28 on Sept. 1, and the White Sox made six roster moves Wednesday ahead of their game against the Pittsburgh Pirates:

1. Shortstop Tim Anderson was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. The move is retroactive to Aug. 29.
2. Pitcher Matt Foster was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.
3. Outfielder Billy Hamilton was activated from the 10-day injured list.
4. Infielder/outfielder Jake Lamb was designated for assignment.
5. Infielder Romy Gonzalez was added to the 40-man roster and called up from Triple-A Charlotte.
6. First baseman Gavin Sheets was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.

Now for a few thoughts on these moves.

First off, the Sox must have a healthy Anderson in October if they have any hope of advancing in the playoffs. This whole business of him being available for a couple of games, then needing a couple of days off has been both annoying and concerning. It's a good decision to sit him down for 10 days and let him get right. 

Adam Engel is still rehabbing a shoulder injury, so it's good to see Hamilton back on the roster. His defensive skills are needed as a backup center fielder. The Sox probably aren't going to play Luis Robert every single day in center field, so Hamilton can handle that position when Robert takes a day off. And Hamilton can do that job better than Brian Goodwin or Leury Garcia can.

Gonzalez has had a terrific season split between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte. Between the two levels, he has batted .275/.357/.525 with 23 homers in 335 at-bats. He needed to be added to the 40-man roster by this offseason, or else he would be subject to the Rule 5 draft. Gonzalez has played every position except pitcher and catcher, and with Garcia hitting free agency at the end of the season, this is an opportunity to see if Gonzalez can play the same role as Garcia for less money.

Lamb has hit only .179 with one home run in 12 games in August. Sheets can probably do a better job as the left-handed bat off the bench. I'm just surprised the Sox are OK with Sheets sitting on the bench in Chicago, as opposed to playing every day in Charlotte. There aren't a lot of at-bats available at DH or at first base, although Sheets (much like Lamb) can masquerade as a right fielder for a game here or there.

The one thing Lamb can do that Sheets cannot is play third base. However, with Garcia, Gonzalez and Danny Mendick all on the 28-man roster, there are other options to back up Yoan Moncada. That makes Lamb expendable.

What do we make of Gavin Sheets' red-hot start at Charlotte?

The reports on Gavin Sheets' play at Triple-A Charlotte have been glowing so far. 

Sheets, the White Sox's second-round pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, went 3 for 5 with two home runs and five RBIs in Charlotte's 13-6 victory over Norfolk on Sunday. 

The performance added to the buzz surrounding the left-handed first baseman, as he is now hitting .367/.415/.633 with four doubles, three home runs and 13 RBIs over the first 12 games of the season.

We're already seeing some folks stumping for Sheets to be called up to the majors. 

You can understand why people would feel that way. The Sox are having trouble keeping sluggers healthy. As we've documented, Eloy Jimenez is out five to six months with a pectoral injury. Luis Robert is out 12 to 16 weeks with a strained hip flexor.

Because of these injuries, the Sox's starting outfield in Monday's game against the Minnesota Twins featured Leury Garcia, Billy Hamilton and Danny Mendick. Not exactly the stuff that World Series dreams are made of, right? (And yes, I know the Sox won 16-4 on Monday, but I don't think I would want to ride with that trio in the outfield long term.)

To add an extra layer of challenge to the situation, the Sox will be without first baseman Jose Abreu until at least Friday with left ankle inflammation. 

So yeah, the offense is lacking some key players right now, and to the Sox's credit, they've been using Sheets in right field in Charlotte -- not just at first base -- to see whether he can increase his defensive versatility. I'm sure the thinking is, "What if the oft-injured Adam Eaton gets hurt next? Then what do we do in right field? Is Sheets a potential solution?" 

No harm in kicking the tires on that possibility at Triple-A, and obviously the bat looks good right now.

But here's why I'd pump the brakes on giving Sheets an immediate recall: The hitting environment in Charlotte is extremely friendly, and the Knights have played all 12 of their games at home. Sheets isn't the only guy in Charlotte swinging the bat well. Check out these team stats. Hell, even Marco Hernandez and Seby Zavala are kicking some ass, and neither of those two players are known for high-level offense.

Looking at the schedule, the Knights start a 12-game road trip to Durham and Norfolk on Tuesday night. Let's see if these offensive gains hold for Sheets and some of the other guys at Triple-A. Then we can reassess that situation.

White Sox take second game of series against Twins, will try for sweep Thursday

Billy Hamilton

The White Sox are now nine games ahead of the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central after their 13-8 victory Wednesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Sure, it's only May 13, but it's worth noting that the defending division champion Twins (12-22) are 10 games below .500, and they're digging themselves quite a hole. 

Meanwhile, the Sox are 21-13 and remain in first place, one game ahead of the Cleveland Indians.

There wasn't much pitching in Wednesday's game. In fact, as a fan of well-pitched games, it was a little irritating to watch at times. The Sox were ahead 12-3 after five innings, and they were never really in danger, but it wasn't a clean finish for the bullpen.

But instead of dwelling on that, let's look at some Sox offensive highlights:

• Billy Hamilton went 4 for 4 with three runs scored and an RBI. He finished a home run short of the cycle. 
• Andrew Vaughn had only one hit, but it was the first home run of his career -- a two-run shot off J.A. Happ as part of a five-run rally in the bottom of the fourth inning.
• Jose Abreu went 2 for 5 with an RBI triple and a two-run single. All three of his RBIs came with two outs.
• Speaking of two-out RBIs, Yoan Moncada had a two-out, two-run single to cap a three-run fifth inning. Teams that get two-out RBIs win championships.
• Yasmani Grandal continued his bizarre, three-true-outcomes season. He went 1 for 3 with a home run, two walks, a strikeout and three runs scored. His ridiculous slash line now stands at .130/.384/.333.

The Sox will try for the sweep Thursday afternoon, and they'll face their nemesis -- right-hander Michael Pineda. Since Pineda joined the Twins, he's started five games against the Sox. Minnesota has won all five times.

Lance Lynn will get the call for the Sox. Carlos Rodon had his start pushed back to Saturday. Apparently, Rodon is dealing with some minor ailments -- back tightness and an achy hamstring and whatnot -- so the Sox are being cautious with him. Thanks to the off day Monday, Lynn will work on regular rest -- he last pitched Saturday in Kansas City.

What exactly are the White Sox doing anyway?

Tony La Russa

Is it just me, or do the White Sox find themselves in the national spotlight for embarrassing things more often than other teams?

Manager Tony La Russa was unaware of an extra-inning rule that would have allowed him to avoid using closer Liam Hendriks as a base runner during the 10th inning of Wednesday's 1-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. I don't really feel like rehashing the whole scenario, so click the first link in the sentence above to read Bruce Levine's report on what happened.

This ended with The Athletic's James Fegan reading the rule aloud during La Russa's postgame press conference. Apparently, nobody on the Sox coaching staff knew the rule either, or if they did, they failed to speak up -- which is probably worse.

The $54 million closer is running the bases unnecessarily in the top of the 10th inning, when he should be preparing to pitch the bottom of the 10th inning. Then, he loses the game when the first two batters get hits off him. Did that happen because he had spent the previous 15 minutes running the bases? Maybe.

And you've got Leury Garcia getting thrown out trying to steal second as the trail runner in the top of the 10th. And you've got Billy Hamilton, he of the career 67 OPS+, being allowed to hit for himself with the go-ahead run on third base, when there are better options available on the bench. Anyone surprised that Hamilton struck out? Me neither.

These late-inning strategical gaffes are becoming a once-a-week occurrence. It's great that the Sox are 16-13 and in a three-way tie for first, but it's hard not to feel as though they should be 18-11 or 19-10.

Just what exactly are the Sox doing anyway in these close games? Good grief.

White Sox to sign outfielder Brian Goodwin

Brian Goodwin

With Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert and Adam Engel all on the injured list, the White Sox have added some outfield help by signing Brian Goodwin to a minor league contract, according to multiple reports.

Goodwin had an opt-out clause in his minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates, which he exercised Monday. If the Sox add him to the 40-man roster, his salary will be $1 million. I would expect that to happen.

Two years ago, the 30-year-old Goodwin had the best season of his career, when he batted .262/.326/.470 with 17 home runs, 29 doubles, 47 RBIs and seven stolen bases in 136 games for the Los Angeles Angels.

Last season, Goodwin was decent in 30 games for the Angels. He batted .242/.330/.463 with four home runs and 17 RBIs. The Cincinnati Reds acquired him in a midseason deal, and that didn't work out so well. 

Goodwin slumped to a .163 batting average in 20 games with the Reds, and that's how you end up on a minor league deal with the Pirates.

But the standard is not high for the Sox right now. They need some help with all these injuries, and they're hoping Goodwin and his left-handed bat can recapture what we saw in 2019. This is a career .250/.317/.455 batter, and that's at least better offense than you'll get from Leury Garcia or Billy Hamilton.

Is Goodwin a long-term solution to anything? No. Is this the big move Sox fans are clamoring for? Absolutely not.

But you have to be realistic here. The trade market doesn't heat up this early in the season, and there aren't a lot of impact players out there that you can acquire right now.

Not to mention, opposing GMs know the Sox are desperate for outfield help, and if Sox GM Rick Hahn calls, they are going to ask a high price. I'm not sure there's a fair trade Hahn can make right now, and I would caution against any panic moves -- the Sox are 16-12 and tied for first place after Tuesday's 9-0 win over the Reds, and nobody in the AL Central looks primed to run away.

Around Chicago, you hear some people calling for the Sox to acquire Kris Bryant from the Cubs. That suggestion literally makes me laugh out loud.

If Hahn calls the Cubs, you know who Jed Hoyer is going to ask for? Probably Michael Kopech. Maybe a package of Andrew Vaughn and Dylan Cease.

Sox fans, are you willing to make that move? Because that's what it's going to take. My answer is a resounding no.

Normally, I'm the first in line with the pitchforks and torches at Hahn's doorstep. But I think a minor acquisition such as Goodwin is fine for now. Try to stem the tide until we get to midseason, some teams fall out of it, and GMs become more willing to deal.

If anyone wants to criticize Hahn for not signing adequate depth in the offseason, I will join that chorus.

If anyone wants to criticize the Sox's draft-and-development arm for failing to provide adequate depth to plug these holes from within, I will join that chorus as well.

Remember when there was a so-called glut of talented minor league outfielders in the Sox system? Welp, none of Micker Adolfo, Blake Rutherford, Luis Gonzalez or Luis Alexander Basabe panned out. 

So now the Sox are in a fix. Cross your fingers that Goodwin can become the 2 WAR player he was in 2019.

Luis Robert out 12 to 16 weeks ... Now what?

Luis Robert

Get ready to see a lot of Leury Garcia and Billy Hamilton in center field over the next month ... at least.

The White Sox had a successful 6-3 homestand, but I don't think anyone is celebrating. That's because center fielder Luis Robert crumbled in a heap while beating out an infield single in the first inning of Sunday's 5-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians. 

Robert was in tremendous pain, holding the area in front of his right hip while writhing around on the ground in shallow right field. After he was helped to his feet, he couldn't put any weight on his right leg and had to be carried into the dugout. 

Bad news was expected, and bad news was made official Monday, with the announcement that Robert will be out 12 to 16 with a hip flexor tear. It is not known yet whether Robert will undergo surgery, or if rest and rehabilitation will be enough. The timeline for return to baseball activities is expected to be the same, regardless of the treatment path chosen. 

This is a terrible break for Robert, who was off to a fine start this season. He was batting .316/.359/.463, and he was showing much improved plate discipline. Robert has had a weakness for breaking balls down and out of the zone in the past, but he's made significant strides in fixing that problem. Namely, he seems to be recognizing pitches better, and not swinging at as many pitches that are out of the zone. 

The injury is also a substantial blow to the Sox's playoff aspirations. They are already without left fielder Eloy Jimenez until at least August, and it doesn't sound as though Adam Engel will be returning anytime soon. 

Engel suffered a pulled hamstring the third week of March and hasn't played yet this season. The latest report indicates Engel is "back at square one" after a setback, and he will not return to baseball activities for three more weeks. 

This means three of the top four outfielders on the Sox roster are unavailable because of injury, and the other guy -- Adam Eaton -- is hobbling around right field on a sore knee. Eaton is in a terrible slump that has seen his slash line dip to .217/.301/.380. That being said, no matter how bad it gets for Eaton, if he can physically get out there, he has to play. The Sox don't have a lot of alternatives. 

In left field, Andrew Vaughn has gone 7 for his last 19 to pull his slash line up to .275/.373/.373, but he is still without a home run and has only one RBI. But despite his expected rookie struggles, he has to play. 

And that leaves Leury Garcia and Billy Hamilton to share center field until Engel gets healthy. 

Garcia: .200/.224/.246 

Hamilton: .176/.263/.176 

Gulp. Yeah, it's hard not to be discouraged knowing these players are going to get more playing time than they should in the weeks and months ahead. 

Back in the offseason, I thought the Sox needed to sign two outfielders to bolster their depth. They signed only Eaton, and now that weakness is coming home to roost.

Jose Abreu wins AL Rookie of the Year; Jacob deGrom wins NL honor

The American League Rookie of the Year voting, as expected, offered little in the way of drama.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu became the ninth unanimous winner in the history of the award, earning the first-place vote on all 30 balllots (150 points). Los Angeles Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker (40 points) finished a distant second, while New York Yankees reliever Dellin Betances (27 points) placed third.

Abreu had one of the best offensive seasons ever for a rookie. He hit .317/.383/.581 with 36 homers and 107 RBIs. That's good enough to win the award just about every year, and let's face it, the competition for this honor was not particularly stong this season. It was Abreu and everybody else among AL rookies, especially after Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka went down with an injured elbow midseason.

In fact, if you look at the first-half numbers, you'd have to say Abreu and Tanaka were at one point in a tight race for Rookie of the Year:

• Abreu: .292/.342/.630, 29 HR, 73 RBI
• Tanaka: 12-4, 2.51 ERA, 129.1 IP, 19 BB, 135 K

But, the injury limited Tanaka to just two starts the second half of the season. While Abreu managed just seven home runs the second half, he hit .350 and raised his overall batting average by 25 points. That made Monday's announcement a foregone conclusion.

Abreu becomes the sixth White Sox player to win Rookie of the Year. The others are Luis Aparicio (1956), Gary Peters (1963), Tommie Agee (1966), Ron Kittle (1983) and Ozzie Guillen (1985).

In the National League, New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom won Rookie of the Year. He picked up 26 first-place votes (142 points) and finished comfortably ahead of Cincinnati Reds outfielder Billy Hamilton (92 points). St. Louis Cardinals infielder Kolten Wong (14 points) was third.

The 26-year-old deGrom had a monstrous second half, compiling a 1.99 ERA in his final 15 starts. For the season, he finished 9-6 with a 2.69 ERA. He recorded 144 strikeouts in 140 innings.