White Sox Make Interesting Roster Changes

The White Sox will get two players back from the injured list today, as they have announced the return of Mike Clevinger and Elvis Andrus. But, surprisingly, they cut ties with Hanser Alberto, as they designated him for assignment. Many wondered what moves would be made once Clevinger and Andrus returned, and today we officially find out.

A Boost Of Confidence For Romy?

Once Andrus returned, many tried to play out what moves would be made to make room for him on the roster, as the Sox can be very unpredictable at times. Andrus has not played great, but he is a solid veteran presence in the clubhouse that was improving before he got hurt, so they wouldn’t cut him. It was between Romy Gonzalez and Hanser Alberto, and it seems they went with the younger Gonzalez.

Alberto was in a tough spot once Romy started hitting. Ever since Romy returned from the IL, he has been on a tear and he deserved an extended look at second or somewhere in the lineup.

Since Romy returned he has showcased his power and has looked great in the field. Considering he is four years younger than Alberto, it was likely they would try to develop him instead of going with the veteran.

Alberto was not a horrible player for the Sox, as he finishes his White Sox career with a .220 average, three home runs, and 16 RBIs. Considering the number of role players that have come through the Sox in the past, he is far from the worst and actually had some good moments. I would imagine he finds a spot on a major league roster quickly.

Now the issue quickly becomes who sees more time at second base. Andrus has the ability to play at an all-star level and he is likely to be more consistent than Romy, but at this point, the White Sox need to see what Romy has.

There is no need to waste at-bats on a player that will not be here next year. Let Romy take over and if he stinks then you have Andrus waiting in the wings. This is a lost season for the White Sox so better to find out which prospects can actually play.

Is There A Pitching Logjam?

The optioning of Jesse Scholtens to AAA is a bit surprising. He pitched well while Clevinger was hurt and I thought he earned himself a spot in long relief or even in the rotation. But, that does not appear to be the case.

Scholtens has a 3.24 ERA with a 1.200 WHIP so far on the season. As a rookie, although older, these are pretty good numbers. Every time he pitched he showed that he belongs on a major league roster. Unfortunately, there just doesn’t seem to be any room for him at this point.

Considering this is a lost season, I thought they should have phantom IL’d Lance Lynn and give Scholtens an extended look. Clearly, Lynn has some things he needs to work through and it would give the Sox a better chance to win.

Scholtens has been better than Lynn and we need the best 26 on the roster at all times. I appreciate all Lynn did the last few years, but he has reached that point in his career where he simply does not have it anymore. If he continues this streak for a couple more starts he should be DFA’d. The Sox need to send messages to everyone on the team that if you can’t compete you will be cut.

We will likely see Scholtens again shortly, but he should still be on this team. This is a lost season so the Sox need to explore every avenue and examine their options moving forward.