White Sox set 26-man roster after final Cactus League game
The White Sox's roster is set for the season.
After wrapping up Cactus League play on Tuesday - No. 4 starter Dylan Cease was spectacular while striking out 11, issuing no walks and allowing 1 run over 5⅓ innings against the Rockies - the final spots were announced.
When the regular season opens Thursday night against the Angels in Anaheim, Calif., the Sox will have three catchers, Yasmani Grandal, Zack Collins and Yermin Mercedes.
Officially signed on Tuesday after he was released by the Braves over the weekend, left-handed power hitter Jake Lamb made the roster, as did left fielder/designated hitter Andrew Vaughn, outfielder Billy Hamilton and relief pitcher Jose Ruiz.
Jonathan Lucroy, who entered camp with a shot at claiming the backup catcher job, was released. The White Sox were hoping Lucroy would accept an assignment to their alternate training site in Schaumburg, but that's not likely to happen.
Infielder Danny Mendick was optioned to Schaumburg.
Collins hit .295 with 3 home runs and 6 RBI in 20 exhibition games. Mercedes hit .277 and drove in 8 runs in 21 games.
The No. 10 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Collins figures to be Grandal's primary backup while also stepping in at designated hitter.
"Zack has had a very nice spring and we all feel good about where he's at," Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "There was some indication based on an offseason work that progress was being made. Once we got here and got to see him on a daily basis, basically from the start, we were very pleased from where he was at both defensively and offensively."
Lamb is a natural third baseman, and he can also play first base and DH.
Splitting last season between the Diamondbacks and A's, Lamb hit .193/.283/.352 with 3 homers and 10 RBI in 31 games. With Arizona in 2016-17, he hit 59 home runs and had 196 RBI.
"Lamb improves our bench from our standpoint, gives us some left-handed balance, the ability to play third, first and DH and potentially even some outfield given some of the experiences he's had previously," Hahn said. "We feel like having more capable guys to move around the field, the better for us. He's a guy who has had some injury issues in recent years.
"Those seem to be entirely behind him and there's some reason to believe that the trend underneath his overt performance numbers are going in the right direction and give us reason to believe he can be a nice fit in that complementary role going forward."
Eloy Jimenez had surgery to repair a ruptured left pectoral tendon on Tuesday. The prognosis remains he'll be out 5-6 months, so Vaughn and Leury Garcia look to be his primary replacements.
Adam Engel can also play left field when he returns from a hamstring injury in a couple weeks.
Manager Tony La Russa said Garcia is likely to get the start in left in the season opener, with Vaughn serving as the DH.
"Obviously, we saw a smattering of examples from Andrew over the last couple of days in terms of his activity in games and pregame in the outfield," Hahn said. "He certainly looks comfortable and has acclimated himself to that role. I still suspect we will see him some at DH and perhaps even some at first base. But this is certainly another alternative for Tony as we go into the season to have Andrew out there in left field."