With the additions of Austin Slater and Mike Tauchman the White Sox suddenly have a crowded outfield. White Sox general manager Chris Getz told reporters that the combo of Tauchman and Slater will likely be implemented in a platoon role, calling them a “pretty good pair” in right field. However, when asked about the idea of Oscar Colás getting playing time Getz pumped the breaks.
With Luis Robert Jr. still in center field and Andrew Benintendi in left field seeing the field has been an uphill battle for Colás. Ahead of him on the depth chart was the presumptive right-field starter, Dominic Fletcher, until Tauchman inked a one-year deal.
Last season Colás got just 33 at-bats with the White Sox despite their abysmal 121-loss record. When was sent down to Triple-A in June after a short 12-game stint, former manager Pedro Grifol called it “a numbers game”. But the front office has already indicated they are not fond of Colás.
After Colás made his MLB debut in 2023, he was criticized by general manager Chris Getz after slashing just .216/.257/.314 with five home runs and 19 RBIs before getting sent down just six days before his 25th birthday. At the time, Grifol said he needed to clean up some “reoccurring mistakes,” while Getz went as far as to say Colás needed to “completely clean up his whole game.”
However, the White Sox are trying to trade Luis Robert Jr. and Andrew Benintendi which could open up playing time for Colás. Despite Robert’s poor showing last season, the front office is reportedly willing to sell low to cut their losses, with an anonymous rival executive speculating that the White Sox do not believe he will have a bounce-back season. Per Chicago Sports Network’s Chuck Garfein, six teams have already expressed interest in Robert. The 27-year-old outfielder is owed $15 million next season and then $20 million in 2026. Given how far the White Sox feel they are from contention the front office is motivated to get that money off the books.
As the highest-paid player in franchise history, Benintendi figures to be much harder to move. He still has three years and over $49 million remaining on his contract and has yet to post an OPS above .700 with the White Sox.
According to CHGO’s Vinnie Duber, Tauchman and Slater are expected to play all three outfield positions. If this is the case, it indicates that Robert and Benintendi are out of the picture. However if Robert is traded, Dominic Fletcher would likely slide over to center field. Getz did not speak warmly about the idea of Fletcher getting playing time in right field, but losing an outfielder via trade could open his path to playing left or center field depending on how Tauchman and Slater are mixed and matched.
So where does that leave Oscar Colás? In just 301 MLB plate appearances he is slashing .223/.271/.309 with a near 27 percent strikeout rate. In 2023 he also led all American League right fielders with six errors despite only appearing in 69 games.
The 2024 season saw Colás spend the bulk of his time in Triple-A Charlotte. The White Sox were looking for him to cut down on his strikeouts and clean up mental mistakes that plagued him during his rookie season. Colás hit just .246/.332/.401 with 11 home runs and 51 RBIs. He did manage to draw 51 walks but countered that with 107 strikeouts.
Another underwhelming season might be why the front office is ready to move on. Given the current roster, the White Sox have better options available. However, on the surface, it feels like Colás never got a fair shake to show what he could do over an extended period in the MLB like other players such as Lenyn Sosa were afforded. The 2024 season would have been the perfect opportunity to do so considering the White Sox were developing prospects at the MLB level. If the White Sox try and flip Slater or Tauchman at the trade deadline it could serve as Colás’ last chance to make a good impression.
More pathetic than the Bears.
What is an outfield room?