White Sox have two big lineup holes -- I mean, big lineup holes

Leury Garcia

When Leury Garcia lined the second pitch he saw Tuesday night off the top of the right-field fence for a long single, he narrowly missed hitting the fourth home run of the season for White Sox right fielders.

Yes, you read that right. It is not a misprint.

Major League batters have hit 6,085 home runs coming into Wednesday night's play. If 20 home runs are hit in Wednesday night's games -- a good bet -- a new single-season record will be set.

However, only three of those 6,085 home runs have been hit by Sox right fielders. That's pathetic, given that corner outfield is considered an offensive position.

I don't mean to single out Garcia, who has seven home runs and has seen most of his playing time in center field this season. He is a very small contributor to the lack of power in right field -- Jon Jay, Ryan Cordell, Charlie Tilson and Daniel Palka are the main culprits in this outage.

Here is the season slash line for Sox right fielders: .212/.270/.272 with three home runs and 35 RBIs.

Yikes. Remember when we used to complain that Avisail Garcia wasn't hitting for enough power? His 19 home runs with Tampa Bay would look pretty good on the South Side right now, don't you think?

This problem is compounded by the fact that Sox designated hitters stink. They've hit .195/.276/.320 with 11 home runs and 55 RBIs.

It's pretty tough to compete when you're getting such poor production out of two offense-oriented positions.

The average big league team has hit 203 home runs this season. The Sox have hit 155. Let's say the Sox need to add one, if not two, middle-of-the-order bats for 2020.

White Sox activate Jon Jay, designate Odrisamer Despaigne for assignment

Jon Jay

Jonah Keri of the The Athletic released his weekly power rankings Monday. The White Sox are accurately ranked No. 23, and in his comments, Keri offered the opinion that perhaps the Sox need to move on from Ivan Nova.

"Carrying a pitcher with a 5.91 ERA, a flaccid strikeout rate and more than 1.7 homers allowed per nine innings is what you do when you’re fully tanking, not when you’re trying to win games," Keri wrote. "Whether it’s mining the farm system or going outside the organization, the Sox should try to find a better option for their rotation."

I cannot disagree, but here's the problem with that statement: There are two spots in the Sox's rotation that are even bigger question marks than the spot occupied by Nova.

The Sox cleaned out some of the trash Monday when they designated Odrisamer Despaigne for assignment. The 32-year-old right-hander made three starts for the Sox and went 0-2 with a 9.45 ERA in 13.1 innings pitched.

Despaigne allowed 31 (!) base runners in those 13.1 innings -- 24 hits and seven walks. He recorded only seven strikeouts. In his most recent outing, he was handed a 4-0 lead against the Texas Rangers and promptly gave it all back in three innings as part of a 6-5 loss.

In that game, it took Despaigne 39 pitches to get through the first inning. He threw 68 pitches for the outing and got only two swinging strikes. He doesn't have the stuff to get people out, so good riddance.

The Sox replaced him on the 25-man roster with veteran outfielder Jon Jay, who hasn't played yet this season. In 16 games on a rehab assignment, Jay went 21 for 63 (.333) with a couple of doubles and seven RBIs. That's an extraordinarily long rehab stint, and I was wondering whether the Sox were trying to trade one of Jay, Charlie Tilson or Ryan Cordell.

Instead, all three of those men are on the roster, which makes for a crowded outfield. Meanwhile, there are only three starting pitchers on the 25-man -- Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Nova.

What a strange situation. When will upper management do something, anything to fix this problem with starting pitching?

It's literally Giolito and pray for rain at this point, and there's no way Giolito can keep up the ridiculous hot streak he's been on over the past couple of months.

Despaigne clearly was not the answer, and never had a chance of being the answer. If Rick Hahn does not want to call up Dylan Cease, he better be working the phones for a trade.

White Sox finish 6-1 on homestand vs. Royals, Indians

Jose Abreu

The White Sox finished 6-1 on their just-completed seven-game homestand against the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians. They haven't had a homestand this successful since 2010.

After sweeping Kansas City, the Sox (29-30) took three out of four games from the Indians (29-30) to move into a second-place tie. In doing so, they overcame a couple of pitching matchups that didn't look too promising coming into the series.

Here's a look back at the weekend that was:

Thursday, May 30
White Sox 10, Indians 4: Cleveland right-hander Carlos Carrasco had made two previous starts against the Sox this season, and he won them both. In fact, he was unscored upon in 12 innings. So, it didn't look too good for the Sox with Carrasco starting against left-hander Manny Banuelos.

Surprise! The Sox cuffed Carrasco around for six runs on 10 hits over 6.1 innings, then blew the game open with four more runs off reliever Dan Otero.

Jose Abreu and Yonder Alonso both homered, and Leury Garcia and Eloy Jimenez each had three-hit games. Jimenez's two-run double in the second inning started the Sox's scoring. Alonso's two-run homer in the third put them ahead to stay.

Banuelos (3-4) was good enough. He allowed three runs on five hits over 5.1 innings. For a guy with a 7.36 ERA, you take that.

Friday, May 31
White Sox 6, Indians 1: Once again, the starting pitching matchup didn't look favorable. The Indians were throwing their best healthy pitcher in Trevor Bauer, while the Sox were countering with the winless Dylan Covey.

Surprise! Covey (1-4) isn't winless anymore. He gave up a leadoff homer to Francisco Lindor in the first inning, but no other runs over six innings pitched. He allowed eight hits, but managed to pitch around them.

Meanwhile, Cleveland committed four errors, causing Bauer to give up four unearned runs (and two additional earned runs) over seven innings.

Charlie Tilson paced the Sox offense with two hits, including a two-run double in the bottom of the third that put the South Siders ahead to stay.

Saturday, June 1
Indians 5, White Sox 2: There has to be a rotten apple in every bunch, right? Sox starter Ivan Nova (3-5) wasn't terrible, but a couple home runs by left-handed hitters hurt him. Carlos Santana broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning with a solo home run, and Leonys Martin added a two-run shot in the seventh for a 4-1 Indians lead.

The Sox could not overcome that deficit as they managed only four hits against a hodgepodge of six Cleveland pitchers. Reliever Oliver Perez (1-0) retired all five batters he faced in the fifth inning and at the start of the sixth inning to get the win for the Tribe. Brad Hand worked an easy ninth for his 16th save.

Jimenez had two hits for the Sox, including a double, but not much else was going on.

Sunday, June 2
White Sox 2, Indians 0: Lucas Giolito (8-1) did it again, improving to 6-0 with a 1.03 ERA over his past six starts. He went 7.1 innings, allowing only five hits and no walks. He struck out nine. Aaron Bummer got a double play ball to end the eighth inning, and Alex Colome worked around a leadoff double by Lindor in the ninth to earn his 12th save of the season.

It wasn't easy for Giolito, as he pitched with no margin for error thanks to a strong start by Cleveland rookie Zach Plesac (0-1), who tossed seven innings of one-run ball.

That one run was a 429-foot homer by Tim Anderson, his ninth of the season, in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Sox added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on Anderson's two-out RBI double, which scored Yolmer Sanchez.

The satisfying win should make for a pleasant off day Monday for the Sox, who just completed a busy stretch of 36 games in 37 days. They have a brief two-game series in Washington against the Nationals on Tuesday and Wednesday, before another off day on Thursday.

Weird schedule this season, huh?

White Sox beat Astros for first time since September 2017

A triple play turned, four double plays turned, four home runs hit, including a grand slam ... yes, the White Sox looked like a good team Wednesday night against the Houston Astros.

It seemed as though the Sox would have to do everything right to win a game against the AL West-leading Astros, and they pretty much did just that in a 9-4 win.

Sox starter Ivan Nova (3-4) was in trouble in the bottom of the third inning, clinging to a 1-0 lead with Houston runners at first and second and nobody out. Then Jake Marisnick hit a grounder that took Yoan Moncada right to the third-base bag, and Moncada started a 5-4-3, around-the-horn triple play to get Nova out of trouble.

It was the first triple play the Sox have turned since 2016, when they had three of them the first half of the season.

But that triple play might not have been the most shocking play of the game. The other stunner came in the top of the sixth inning with the Sox leading, 4-3. The bases were loaded with two outs when Charlie Tilson, of all people, connected for a grand slam off a 98-mph fastball from Josh James to make it 8-3.

It was Tilson's first home run in 164 career plate appearances. In case you were wondering how many times a Sox player has hit a grand slam for his first career homer, here's a list:

Tilson, May 22, 2019
Danny Richar, Aug. 17, 2007
Norberto Martin, June 4, 1994
Kevin Bell, June 22, 1976
Vince Castino, July 23, 1943
Tom Turner, June 24, 1942
Spence Harris, July 28, 1925
Happy Felsch, June 18, 1915

It's only happened three times in my lifetime.

And only four times in the past 40 years has a team turned a triple play and hit a grand slam in the same game. The Sox had never done it before.

Did I mention Eloy Jimenez hit two homers Wednesday night?

Yes, it was a good night for the Sox. They snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Astros, and hey, they won't get swept in this four-game series. It was the South Siders' first win against Houston since Sept. 21, 2017.

White Sox take two out of three from Blue Jays

Lucas Giolito needed more than just a fastball-changeup combination to get through his start Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays, but it worked out well for him. The White Sox right-hander improved to 4-1 with seven innings of one-run ball in the South Siders' 5-1 victory.

With the win, the Sox (18-21) took two out of three from the slumping Blue Jays (16-24) and completed their seven-game road trip with a 4-3 record.

Here's a look back at the weekend that was:

Friday, May 10
Blue Jays 4, White Sox 3: One of the most frustrating things about the Sox rebuild is Dylan Covey finding his way back into the rotation. Covey has made 35 starts and appeared in 49 games for the Sox since the beginning of the 2017 season. In that time, he's gone 5-23 with a 6.09 ERA.

I think we know this isn't working. Covey shouldn't be in the rotation, but the Sox have yet to draft, develop or sign anybody good enough to relegate him to the bullpen, or to Triple-A Charlotte.

Covey's 23rd career loss came Friday when he gave up three-run homer to Randal Grichuk in the first inning and a solo home run to Teoscar Hernandez in the second inning. That put the Sox in a 4-1 hole, and they couldn't recover.

Covey went 4.2 innings, allowing four runs on three hits with three strikeouts and five walks. Tim Anderson went 2 for 4 with his seventh home run of the season in the loss.

Saturday, May 11
White Sox 7, Blue Jays 2: I hated the signing of catcher James McCann when it happened, and I'm not sure his red-hot start to the season is real. But, kudos to him for shutting me up so far.

McCann went 4 for 5 with two doubles, two runs scored an RBI to power the Sox's 11-hit attack in this victory. Late-inning offense also was key. The Sox led 2-0 after six innings, but they blew the game open with two runs in the seventh inning, two in the eighth and one in the ninth.

Yolmer Sanchez homered, Charlie Tilson had two hits, and the Sox were productive despite an 0-for-5 day from Jose Abreu.

Ivan Nova (2-3) won his second start on the road trip, working six-plus innings. He allowed only one run on a solo home run by Grichuk, and limited Toronto to five hits.

Let's also give props to recently recalled right-handed reliever Evan Marshall, who needed only six pitches to get three outs in the seventh inning. The Sox could use some more competence from low- and medium-leverage guys in the bullpen.

Sunday, May 12
White Sox 5, Blue Jays 1: Giolito was shaky early. The Blue Jays got a run on three hits in the first inning, and they got a leadoff single in the second inning. But after that, Giolito allowed absolutely nothing.

He worked seven innings with eight strikeouts and one walk. In his previous outing, a win against Cleveland, Giolito used only four breaking balls the whole game. This time, he threw 22 sliders and nine curves, as the early struggles showed him that he needed to rely on more than just two fastball-changeup. However, he made the adjustment effectively and turned in another outstanding start. Good to see.

There have been other times when we thought or hoped Giolito was turning a corner, so we'll reserve judgment on what this means for the long haul, but give him credit for two A-plus starts on this trip.

The Sox got all the offense they needed in a five-run fourth inning. Yonder Alonso hit his sixth home run of the season, a two-run shot to put the South Siders ahead. Anderson added a three-run homer, his eighth of the season and second of the series, to make it 5-1.

Giolito took over from there. Ryan Burr and Aaron Bummer each worked a scoreless inning of relief, and the Sox had a solid series win against a team that, frankly, they should beat. I'm not impressed with the Blue Jays this season.

Adam Engel may have run out of chances with the White Sox

Adam Engel

At the White Sox home opener April 5, there was an incoherent drunk with a ridiculous-looking beard sitting a row behind me.

He was really getting on my nerves for multiple reasons. Not the least of which, he kept talking about Adam Engel. No fewer that 67 times, he must have said of Engel, "If he could just hit .240 ... If he could just hit .240 ... "

I felt like turning around, punching him right in the face and telling him, "LOOK! ENGEL IS NEVER GOING TO HIT .240!!!!!!! GET OVER IT!!!!!!!"

After all, Engel hit .236/.367/.301 during his junior season at the University of Louisville. He couldn't hit .240 there. What sane person would think he could hit .240 in the big leagues?

In 26 games with the Sox this year, Engel was hitting .212/.281/.346. He's had 857 plate appearances in the big leagues, a pretty decent sample size, and his career slash line is .207/.262/.316.

Despite his elite defense in center field, Engel wasn't playing every day any longer. He was being used as a late-inning defensive replacement and an occasional starter against a left-handed pitcher.

Now, he'll be getting reps in Triple-A Charlotte, because the Sox optioned him after the game Sunday. On Monday, Charlie Tilson was recalled from Charlotte.

Tilson was hitting .333/.396/.475 for the Knights at the time his contract was purchased, and he was starting in right field for the Sox on Monday against the Cleveland Indians.

Pitcher Ryan Burr also was activated from the 10-day injured list, and pitcher Nate Jones was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

As for Engel, it's too bad for him. He's a player who always hustles, and as a finalist for the Gold Glove in the American League last season, he has a competency on the defensive side that no other Sox player possesses.

Unfortunately, he's an automatic out against most pitchers. Manager Rick Renteria said he wants Engel to bat .250 and put up a .330 on-base percentage.

Again, the "If he could just hit .240 ..." stuff is a pipe dream. We've seen enough now to know that. 

Carlos Rodon gets Opening Day start for White Sox

Carlos Rodon

The White Sox on Monday announced that left-hander Carlos Rodon will start the season opener March 28 on the road against the Kansas City Royals.

According to a report on whitesox.com, Rodon will be followed by Reynaldo Lopez, Lucas Giolito and Ivan Nova in the starting rotation. Manny Banuelos and Ervin Santana are competing for the No. 5 spot.

For the first time in a couple years, Rodon is healthy and ready to begin the season on the active roster. After experiencing shoulder problems at the end of the 2017 season, he started the 2018 campaign on the disabled list before returning to make 20 starts, going 6-8 with a 4.18 ERA, 90 strikeouts and 55 walks in 120.2 innings pitched.

Rodon, 26, has made three starts this spring, allowing seven runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts in 12.1 innings pitched. He figures to get one more Cactus League outing before the first performance that counts.

Bummer, Fulmer optioned to Charlotte

The Sox announced four roster moves before Monday's 5-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants. 

Left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer and former first-round draft pick Carson Fulmer were optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. Outfielder Charlie Tilson and left-handed pitcher Colton Turner were reassigned to minor league camp.

Of the four, Bummer had the best chance to make the club, but seven walks in nine innings and a spring ERA of 12.00 earns a pitcher a demotion, for sure.

The Sox are 7-14-2 this spring after the loss to the Giants. They have lost four in a row.

Jon Jay signing official; Charlie Tilson DFA; White Sox avoid arbitration with four players

Once upon a time, White Sox fans thought Charlie Tilson could at least be a serviceable fourth outfielder, if not a starting player.

Well, forget about that.

Tilson's Sox career has been defined by injuries, and he did nothing with an opportunity he received during the 2018 season. He accumulated a -0.9 WAR while batting .264/.331/.292 with no home runs and 11 RBIs in 41 games.

Now, he's been designated for assignment to make room on 40-man roster for Jon Jay, whose signing to a one-year, $4 million deal became official Thursday.

In other news, the Sox on Friday avoided arbitration with all four of their arbitration-eligible players. They agreed to one-year contracts with first baseman Jose Abreu ($16 million), starting pitcher Carlos Rodon ($4.2 million), relief pitcher Alex Colome ($7.325 million) and infielder Yolmer Sanchez ($4.625 million).

These new deals bring the Sox's 2019 payroll to $80,166,668, per Spotrac. That means there still is plenty of room to sign a premier free agent, as far as I'm concerned.

White Sox option Charlie Tilson to Triple-A Charlotte

The White Sox on Wednesday optioned outfielder Charlie Tilson to Triple-A Charlotte.

Tilson was hitting .264/.331/.292 with 11 RBIs in 41 games with the Sox since being called up May 24. The batting average and on-base percentage are respectable, but Tilson only has two extra-base hits, resulting in that ghastly low slugging percentage.

The Sox will add an outfielder to the 25-man roster before Friday's game against the Seattle Mariners, and it's likely that one of Avisail Garcia or Nicky Delmonico will be returning from the disabled list.

Garcia has been out of action since July 8 with a strained right hamstring. The injury was not believed to be serious, and reports indicate he has been taking batting practice during the All-Star break. That said, Garcia will need to prove he can run the bases before being activated. Both of his hamstring injuries this season were suffered while running down the first-base line trying to beat out a ground ball.

Garcia was hitting .282/.297/.542 with nine home runs and 17 RBIs in 35 games at the time of his injury.

Delmonico has not played in the majors since May 18, when he broke a bone in his hand when he was struck by a pitch. He has been on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte, during which he has hit .400/.500/.600 with four doubles and two RBIs in five games.

As a corner outfielder, Delmonico needs to hit for more power if he's going to stick. At the time of his injury, his slash line was .224/.333/.302 with only one home run and seven RBIs in 37 games.

Signs of a bad offense: Low OPS

So, I was looking at the White Sox hitting statistics, and with recent slumps by Jose Abreu, Matt Davidson and Daniel Palka -- and Avisail Garcia's return to the disabled list -- the Sox don't have a single hitter with an OPS at or above .800.

Here's what we're looking at for OPS on the current Sox roster:

Davidson: .776
Abreu: .746
Omar Narvaez: .740
Tim Anderson: .723
Yolmer Sanchez: .723
Palka: .711
Yoan Moncada: .710
Kevan Smith: .692
Leury Garcia: .678
Charlie Tilson: .640
Ryan LaMarre: .634
Adam Engel: .591

Yuck.

Well, the Kansas City Royals (26-66) are coming into Chicago this weekend. Maybe that will be the cure for what ails Davidson and other Sox hitters. We shall see.

Two steps back: White Sox swept at home by Detroit Tigers

Nicholas Castellanos

The Detroit Tigers are not a good road team. In fact, they are 13-20 away from Comerica Park.

But you would never know it by their performance at Guaranteed Rate Field this season, where they are 6-0 after sweeping a weekend series from the White Sox. So, the Tigers are 7-20 on the road against teams not named the White Sox.

Pathetic, and frustrating for Sox fans. It's especially frustrating after the Sox had shown signs of progress in June -- taking two out of three from the Brewers, splitting four games with the Twins, taking two out of three from the Red Sox and splitting four games with the Indians.

Now, the Sox go three games without ever taking a lead at home against the middling Tigers. Ugh.

Here's a look back at the weekend that was:

Friday, June 15
Tigers 4, White Sox 3: This game was characterized by suspect bullpen management from Rick Renteria.

The Sox trailed, 3-0, through five innings, but Omar Narvaez hit his first home run of the season, a 3-run shot in the sixth, to tie the game.

But for some reason, Renteria blew through relief pitchers Xavier Cedeno, Bruce Rondon and Luis Avilan to get three outs in the top of the seventh inning.

While those three relievers combined to keep the Tigers off the board in the 7th, it was strange that Renteria chose to play matchups when no runner reached scoring position in the inning. It was not a dangerous situation.

Then, Juan Minaya -- who is only in the big leagues because Nate Jones is on the disabled list -- was entrusted to pitch the eighth inning. Of course, Minaya immediately went single, walk to put himself in trouble.

He was allowed to stay in, perhaps because the aforementioned three relievers already had been used, and of course, the Tigers scored a run and won the game.

Head-scratching.

Saturday, June 16
Tigers 7, White Sox 5: Detroit right fielder Nicholas Castellanos was mired in a 1-for-21 slump until Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito took the mound.

Giolito took care of that, allowing a 3-run homer to Castellanos in the third and a two-run homer to him in the fifth. Both home runs came after Giolito had issued a two-out walk.

The Sox trailed, 5-0, going to the bottom of the fifth, but they rallied to tie the game. An RBI double by Tim Anderson, a two-run single by Charlie Tilson and a sacrifice fly by Trayce Thompson highlighted a four-run fifth.

In the sixth, Yolmer Sanchez tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jose Abreu. 5-5 game.

But Abreu missed a big chance in the seventh. He grounded out weakly to third with the bases loaded and two outs. Worse yet, he swung at two bad pitches to open the at-bat, after Detroit reliever Buck Farmer had walked Yoan Moncada and Sanchez to load the bases for Abreu.

It was a rare poor at-bat for the Sox's best hitter.

In the eighth, Detroit only hit one ball out of the infield -- a leadoff single by Victor Martinez -- but the Tigers plated two runs because Rondon walked two guys and misplayed a bunt.

It was a frustrating defeat on what could have been a feel-good day after the Sox erased a five-run deficit.

Sunday, June 17
Tigers 3, White Sox 1: Castellanos continued to punk the Sox. He got a hanging breaking ball from James Shields in the first inning and hit it out for a two-run homer.

That was essentially the game, as the Sox failed to generate much offense against soft-tossing Detroit left-handed Blaine Hardy.

Matt Davidson's team-leading 12th home run of the season provided the only Sox offense in the second inning.

But hey, Shields (2-8) went at least six innings for the 11th consecutive start, and he didn't allow the game to get out of hand.

Increase that trade value, James.

Charlie Tilson among first round of White Sox roster cuts

Adam Engel

Charlie Tilson will not be the Opening Day center fielder for the White Sox.

The Sox made eight roster moves Tuesday, and Tilson was among the players optioned to Triple-A Charlotte.

It's somewhat surprising to see Tilson sent out the second week of March, as he was believed to be a contender for a starting job in center field, along with Adam Engel, Leury Garcia and Ryan Cordell.

But after a 3-for-18 performance in eight spring games, the club obviously has decided Tilson needs more at-bats in the minor leagues. General manager Rick Hahn foreshadowed this possibility at SoxFest, when he noted that both Tilson and Cordell have missed significant time because of injuries.

Cordell has shown well this spring -- he's 4 for 13 in six games with four walks and no strikeouts -- but he soon might join Tilson in Triple-A just because he didn't play at all the second half of last season.

That leaves Engel and Garcia in the mix, and we know the Sox like Engel's defense. It's also no secret the 26-year-old needed a swing overhaul after hitting .166 in 301 plate appearances at the big-league level last season. So far, so good for Engel this spring -- he's 5 for 16 with two home runs and four RBIs in eight games.

Garcia is the most accomplished player in contention for the center field job, but most of his playing time this spring has been in the infield. Garcia is an infielder by trade, but he was given time in the outfield last year to take advantage of his athleticism. When healthy, he was decent in 2017, posting a .270/.316/.423 slash line with nine home runs and 33 RBIs in 87 games.

Right now, Engel might have the inside track to be the center fielder based upon his defense, his health and some signs of offensive progress.

In other moves, pitcher Thyago Vieira was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. Right-hander Jose Ruiz was optioned to Single-A Winston-Salem.

Injured third baseman Jake Burger, catcher Alfredo Gonzalez and pitchers Michael Ynoa, Jordan Guerrero and Dylan Covey all were assigned to minor-league camp.

White Sox pare 40-man roster down to 33

As we follow two ALDS Game 1s -- Boston at Houston and New York at Cleveland -- on this Thursday afternoon and early evening, there are some White Sox roster moves to report.

The Sox outrighted catcher Rob Brantly, outfielder Rymer Liriano and pitchers David Holmberg, Brad Goldberg and Chris Volstad to Triple-A Charlotte.

Goldberg remains in the organization as a non-roster player, because this is the first time he has been outrighted. Brantly, Liriano, Holmberg and Volstad elected free agency.

The moves reduce the Sox's 40-man roster to 33. There are three guys on the 60-day DL -- Charlie Tilson, Zach Putnam and Geovany Soto. After those three men are activated, the roster moves to 36, then reduces to 34, because Soto and Mike Pelfrey are free agents-to-be.

That leaves six spots open for the Sox to protect players from the Rule 5 draft, although it's possible we'll see more roster dreck purged in the coming weeks.

White Sox going young in center field (and other news)

It's looking as if Jacob May has won the job as the starting center fielder for the White Sox.

Charlie Tilson is still in a walking boot for the next three weeks and may not be back until late May, and the Sox on Monday traded Peter Bourjos to the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations.

Subtracting Tilson from the equation, here are the offensive numbers the three contenders for center field have put up in the spring:

May: .339/.361/.525, 2 BB, 12 K, 4 for 5 in stolen bases, 61 plate appearances
Bourjos: .313/.340/.521, 2 BB, 7 K, 1 for 1 in stolen bases, 50 plate appearances
Leury Garcia: .339/.355/.424, 2 BB, 9 K, 2 for 4 in stolen bases, 64 plate appearances

May is the best of the three defensively, and he nosed out the other contenders with his performance at the plate, as well. I can't say I disagree with giving him the chance. He's 25 years old, the team is rebuilding, why not find out what you have with him?

Most of the prospect guys say May is a fourth outfielder, and that might very well be all he is. But you don't know until you give him some big-league time and see how he responds.

However, I was surprised they decided to move Bourjos. He seemed like a good veteran insurance policy at a position where the Sox have painfully little depth. At the very least, I was expecting him to make the club as a fourth outfielder.

Instead, the Sox are apparently going with the cringeworthy Garcia. They like his "versatility," but as I've said before, sure, he plays five positions, but he plays them all poorly, so who cares?

If May does poorly and Tilson doesn't recover from his injury, we could be looking at a starting Sox outfielder of Melky Cabrera, Leury Garcia and Avisail Garcia. That's the kind of defensive lineup that will lose you a lot of games, which might be the goal for this season anyway.

Rodon diagnosed with bursitis

Sox pitcher Carlos Rodon will begin a two-week throwing program after being diagnosed with bursitis (inflammation) in his left bicep tendon, according to a CSN Chicago report.

Rodon will begin the season on the 15-day disabled list.

In his absence, potential stopgap measures for the rotation include right-handers Dylan Covey and (gulp!) Anthony Swarzak.

This is another area where the Sox don't have much depth while they wait for more heralded pitching prospects to become big-league ready.

If Rodon is hurt and Jose Quintana gets traded, it will make what already is shaping up as a difficult season even more challenging.

A.J. Pierzynski

Pierzynski retires, takes broadcasting job

Former White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski announced his retirement Tuesday. He will join FOX as a full-time baseball analyst.

Pierzynski will serve as both a color commentator and studio analyst for FOX, while also making regular appearances on FS1's MLB Whiparound.

"With Opening Day right around the corner, this is always a great time of year," Pierzynski said in a statement from FOX Sports. "I’m really looking forward to what should be a very exciting MLB season and to being a part of the FOX Sports team again."

Pierzynski previously worked with FOX during the 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015 MLB postseasons.

It's no secret that I'm a fan of Pierzynski's. Despite his bad reputation with some folks, he's a smart guy and knows the game inside and out. I'm looking forward to hearing his insights on the FOX broadcasts.

White Sox outfielder Charlie Tilson will start the season on the DL

Peter Bourjos

I've been saying it all spring: I get the feeling that Peter Bourjos is going to be the Opening Day center fielder for the White Sox. And I get the feeling that position is going to be the biggest problem for the Sox in 2017.

The player Sox brass wanted to win the job, Charlie Tilson, has been sidelined since Feb. 19 with a stress reaction in his right foot. The injury wasn't initially thought to be serious, but a follow-up MRI on Monday revealed swelling. Tilson will miss at least the next three weeks, and that means he will be on the 15-day disabled list when the season starts April 3.

That makes the veteran Bourjos the top candidate for center field, even though he is in camp as a nonroster invitee. The Sox have two spots open on their 40-man roster, and it appears that one of them is his to lose at this point.

Bourjos, 29, hit .251/.292/.389 in 383 plate appearances with the Philadelphia Phillies last year. He can handle center field defensively, but there's a reason he's on a minor-league deal: He's not a good hitter; his career on-base percentage is .300, and his OBP has hovered in the .290s for each of the past three seasons.

To his credit, Bourjos has had a good spring; he's 10-for 27, which pencils out to a .370 batting average. It should come as no surprise, however, that he has yet to draw a walk. But right now, he looks as if he's the best option for the position as a veteran stopgap.

Other options in camp include a pair of 25-year-olds -- Jacob May and Adam Engel. Both are good enough defensively to play center field, but both have uneven offensive track records.

May has had the better spring, posting a .333/.375/.433 slash line in 32 plate appearances. Engel has struggled to .130/.310/.130 in 30 plate appearances.

Engel hit .242/.298/.369 in 161 plate appearances at Triple-A Charlotte last year, while May hit .266/.309/.352 in 321 trips to the plate.

Based upon last season and what we've seen so far in camp, May seems the better bet to win a roster spot than Engel. But, there still are three weeks until Opening Day, and things can change.

White Sox outfielder Charlie Tilson is injured -- again

White Sox outfielder Charlie Tilson will miss the next 10 days because of a stress reaction in his right foot, according to reports.

Tilson is the leading candidate to be the team's starting center fielder, but his hold on that job is tenuous at best. A torn left hamstring on Aug. 2 ended Tilson's 2016 season prematurely, and probably the most important thing for him this spring is proving that he's 100 percent healthy.

Although this injury is being termed "minor," no injury is really minor for a young player who is trying to hold down a roster spot and establish himself at the big-league level.

“It started very minimal, and I tried to work through it a little bit, and by the time I addressed [trainer] Herm [Schneider], thankfully I caught it before it was anything that would keep me out for too long,” Tilson said. “It’s a minor thing, and it will give my other leg a chance to get stronger in the meantime, and hopefully we’ll turn this negative into a positive.”

Center field is not a position where the Sox are blessed with great depth. Well, they do have options, but none of them seem as though they are good options.

If Tilson continues to be plagued by injuries, veteran minor-league free agent Peter Bourjos likely becomes the front-runner to be the Opening Day center fielder. Bourjos is the kind of player who would only start on a bad, rebuilding team, which, of course, is what the Sox are expected to be.

Other internal options would include prospects Adam Engel and Jacob May, neither of whom has played in the major leagues.

Ideally, Tilson gets it together health-wise, and the Sox are able to take an extended look at what he can do this spring.

Charlie Tilson injured in first game; White Sox outclassed by Tigers

Robin Ventura

We've once again reached that time of year where we separate the die-hards from the fair-weather fans.

The calendar has turned to August. The dog days of the season have arrived. The trading deadline has passed, and the White Sox appear well on their way to their fourth consecutive losing season.

The Sox were outclassed by a division rival Tuesday night -- a common theme during the Robin Ventura era -- losing 11-5 to the Detroit Tigers in the first of a three-game set.

James Shields held the Tigers scoreless through the first four innings, but the Detroit offense erupted for six runs in the fifth. Relievers Matt Albers, Michael Ynoa and Carson Fulmer provided little relief, combining to give up five more runs over three innings of work.

Ho hum, another run-of-the-mill loss, but the real sorrow here is that newly acquired center fielder Charlie Tilson got hurt in his first game with the Sox.

Tilson collected his first major league hit, a single up the middle off Anibal Sanchez, leading off the third inning. Unfortunately, two innings later, he had to be helped off the field after falling awkwardly while chasing Miguel Cabrera's liner into the right-center gap.

The rookie appeared to roll his left ankle as he fell to the ground, although the Sox are calling it a "strained hamstring" for now. By the looks of the injury, it almost certainly is more than that, and Tilson is more than likely headed to the disabled list.

In a strange twist of fate, Tilson becomes the fourth Sox rookie to succumb to injury in his major league debut this season. Kevan Smith (back), Jason Coats (face) and Matt Davidson (foot) also did not make it through their first games.

I have no idea whether Tilson can be part of the solution for the Sox in the outfield, but I would have liked to have seen a 50-plus-game sample size from him here at the end of the year in order to form an opinion. However, if this injury is as serious as I fear, we'll be back to looking at J.B. Shuck in center field by the end of the week. Not good.

Of course, Avisail Garcia came off the bench to replace Tilson and homered in both of his ABs, one of which was a massive 466-foot shot off Detroit reliever Mark Lowe. The Sox keep trying to replace Garcia, but he always seems to find his way back into the lineup through a fluke injury or some other odd occurrence.

It would be just like Garcia to have a fools' gold hot streak during garbage time, wouldn't it?

White Sox trade Zach Duke to St. Louis Cardinals

Zach Duke

The White Sox hammered a few more nails into their 2016 coffin over the weekend, blowing two out of three games against the last-place Minnesota Twins.

That series isn't worth rehashing on this trading deadline day. The real question is, what will the Sox do before the 3 p.m. CDT deadline?

So far, the only Sox-related trade happened Sunday, when the Sox sent left-handed reliever Zach Duke to the St. Louis Cardinals for 23-year-old outfielder Charlie Tilson.

Duke is having a respectable year. He's 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA in a league-high 53 appearances. He's got 42 strikeouts in 37.2 innings, so he has a good chance of providing value for the Cardinals - provided his arm doesn't fall off from the high number of appearances.

Non-contending teams don't need situational relievers, and Duke is under contract for $5.5 million for 2017. Given their situation, the Sox probably have better uses for that money than a guy who is going to pitch maybe 60 innings a year.

Tilson is a Chicago-area product. He played his high school ball at New Trier High School. This season, he's been playing at Triple-A Memphis, where he posted a .282/.345/.407 slash line with four home runs, 34 RBIs and 15 stolen bases.

The left-handed hitter might be a fourth outfielder, and even if that's all he is, that's not a terrible return for Duke. But I suspect Tilson will get a shot to prove he's more than that. With 57 relatively meaningless games to go, he could get a two-month tryout as the Sox's everyday center fielder.

It doesn't make a lot of sense for the Sox to continue trotting J.B. Shuck out there in center field. We already know he's not a long-term solution. Is Tilson? We don't know, but there's an opportunity now to find out.