White Sox Report Card: How Tim Elko Graded Out This Season

The White Sox improved by 19 wins from the 2024 to the 2025 season, marking significant improvement. Additionally, the White Sox played much better than a 60-102 team for most of the second half, as they had some important contributions from the rookies on the roster.

As we dissect the 2025 season, we will take a look at how each player performed, as well as their outlook for 2026 and beyond. The next player we will take a look at will be first basemen Tim Elko.

Tim Elko has been a fan favorite for the last few years now, as he has absolutely lit up the minor leagues. In 390 minor league games, Elko hit .289 with a .344 OBP, he added 77 homeruns, 265 RBIs, and five stolen bases, en route to a very good .840 OPS. This led to many fans wanting to see what he could do in Chicago.

Fans got what they wanted, as Elko made his major league debut on May 10^th against the Miami Marlins. He went 0 for 3, but his second game was when he got to give fans a taste of what they saw in the minor leagues. In his second major league game Elko hit a three run moonshot, showing off the power he had in the minor leagues.

TIM ELKO FOR THE LEAD 🚀 pic.twitter.com/m0WpU6FTpP

— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) June 7, 2025

Elko would finish May with an interesting line, as he hit three homeruns and had five RBIs, while hitting .161 with a .188 OBP. Elko was then optioned back to AAA on May 23^rd, before making his return in early June. His June would be much of the same, as he hit .148 with one homerun, while adding three RBIs. His OBP did improve significantly however, as it was .258. Elko was optioned back to AAA on June 14^th.

After June 14^th, Elko would bounce around the big-league club, AAA, and the injured list, as he only played in five games after his last official game on June 12^th. This was slightly disappointing, as he was only able to get 67 at-bats in his first major league action.

Now in the offseason, Elko is recovering from a knee surgery that will likely sideline him for a significant chunk of the 2026 season. This is unfortunate, as he may lose playing time when he returns, especially if players like Curtis Mead and Miguel Vargas continue their upward trajectory. 

While Elko didn’t get many opportunities, he still showed off his power, as he hit four homeruns in just 67 at-bats. I would grade him out as a C-, as he unfortunately did not do much else with his limited opportunities.

Moving forward Elko can be a DH/1B candidate, as the White Sox don’t have much depth there. However, if they sign a player or two to fill those spots, the opportunities may no longer be there for Elko.  Hopefully he gets another shot, as he has absolutely raked in the minor leagues and has earned more than 67 MLB at-bats.