DETROIT — General manager Chris Getz said there is no obvious recipe to regaining an edge, but the White Sox need to concoct one somehow going into 2024.
“There’s an edge that we’ve lost,” said Getz, who was hired in his new post Aug. 31.
“With that being said, there’s professionalism, there’s loyalty, there’s execution. Those are the big three pillars I often point to. With those pillars, there’s a lot to unpack. But it does represent what it takes to be a championship caliber ballclub. I look forward to establish what we are going to be about.”
There were a few things to unpack in the Sox’ 3-2 loss to the Tigers Sunday. Right fielder Oscar Colas slipped on a throw into the infield that short-hopped shortstop Tim Anderson, who didn’t smother it, allowing Andre Lipicius to take second base. Miscommunication caused Colas to crash into second baseman Elvis Andrus in short right field, Andrus could have had a runner doubled off but first baseman Gavin Sheets couldn’t make a clean backhand scoop of his throw. And Anderson didn’t run out of the box right away on a high chopper a foot in front of the plate.
“Yeah. He lost the ball,” manager Pedro Grifol said.
And the Sox (55-88) lost a game that officially eliminated them from the postseason, which has been a foregone conclusion for some time.
“It hasn’t been a good season,” Grifol said. “We had high expectations coming in.”
“It’s just good to see things, to make difficult decisions a little more accurate in real time here in the big leagues, not in the minor leagues or spring training.”
About that Burger trade
Since he was traded, third baseman Jake Burger was batting .305/.359/.516 with six homers and an .875 OPS in 34 games for the Marlins through Saturday. Between the Sox and Marlins, the former Sox first-round draft pick has 31 homers, 25 doubles, 69 RBI and an .827 OPS.
Left-hander Jake Eder, the Double-A pitcher the Sox got in return, is 0-3 with an 11.42 ERA in five starts at Birmingham.
Eder has been sent to Arizona to participate in the Sox’ pitchers and catchers camp.
“This allows us to run him through our lab for the first time and gain a better understanding of how his body is moving and help some adustments prior to the Arizona Fall League,” Getz said.
Montgomery in ‘24?
Double-A shortstop Colson Montgomery, ranked second among all prospects in baseball by ESPN, figures to wear a Sox uniform at some point in 2024.
Montgomery, who had a 50-game on-base streak in the minors last season, is batting .223/.398/.408 with three homers in 30 games for Birmingham. He has walked 21 times.
“Colson has been very good,” Getz said. “He’s controlled the zone. He’s very selective offensively. Defensively he’s becoming more consistent. He showed off his range. He’s got a solid arm.”
Montgomery got a late start because of oblique and back injuries and will play in the Arizona Fall League.
“Beyond just Colson, coming into spring training next year the message is going to be the expectation here is to make this ballclub,” Getz said. “That goes beyond certainly whether you are on our Major League roster right now or Minor League guys in Spring Training. That’s the competitiveness we need here with the White Sox. I certainly want to ingrain that mindset in all our players.”
This and that
- Yoan Moncada sat out with a sore knee.
- Bryan Shaw appeared in his 19th game since Aug. 1, the most in the majors.
