It's been years since we've said the White Sox have a surplus at any one position. However, you could make a case that the Sox have four catchers who deserve a major league roster spot.
Matt Thaiss has a .382 on-base percentage, which is second on the team. Edgar Quero is a 22-year-old rookie who has shown flashes in 31 games since being called to Chicago.
Korey Lee, who has been on the IL with an ankle sprain, has 170 games of big league experience, and his rehab assignment in Triple-A Charlotte was set to expire this week. Meanwhile, highly regarded prospect Kyle Teel is tearing up Triple-A, having been named International Player of the Week.
Only two of these guys can play in Chicago. For now, it's going to be Quero and Lee.
Thaiss was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday in exchange for Triple-A outfielder Dru Baker.
The move probably weakens the Sox defensively behind the plate, as Thaiss has an established reputation as a good game-caller, and he blocks pitches in the dirt quite well. But despite his .382 OBP, he's not much of an offensive player. He's batting .212 with a .294 slugging percentage. The best thing about Thiass' offense: He sees pitches and takes his walks.
In other words, Thaiss profiles as a backup catcher on a decent team. That probably works well for the Rays, who could use a better No. 2 catcher to pair with Danny Jansen.
What are the Sox getting in Baker? He's 25 years old, and he was batting .244/.344/.302 in 17 games at Triple-A Durham before hitting the IL with an adductor strain. He's currently rehabbing the injury.
Over 311 games in the minors, Baker has posted a .291/.369/.405 slash line. He stole 49 bases in 2023 and 42 bases in 2024. So, if he can get on base at a .369 clip, his speed is a real weapon. He can play all three outfield spots, but he's only got 21 homers in 1,310 professional plate appearances.
In other words, Baker is a potential backup outfielder. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get a look in Chicago later this season after the Sox trade away veteran incumbents for futures in July.
Sox drop second straight to Mets
Pitcher Jonathan Cannon was originally scheduled to start Saturday against the Texas Rangers, but he was pushed back three days because of lower back tightness.
He took the ball Tuesday against the New York Mets, and he looked rusty, giving up four runs on six hits in the first inning. Pete Alonso and Jared Young each hit two-run homers to stake New York to an early 4-2 lead.
The Sox never fully recovered in a 6-4 loss. Give Cannon this: He got through 5.1 innings, and Jared Shuster was the only Chicago reliever used.
Miguel Vargas hit his team-leading eighth home run of the season for the Sox, a two-run shot in the top of the first inning. He added an RBI double in the seventh inning that brought the South Siders within a run at 5-4.
But the Sox could not get the tying run across, and the Mets added an insurance run in the eighth against Shuster.
The Sox have dropped three straight and are now 17-38.