Help wanted: After another big loss, White Sox expect plenty of job openings in spring training
Even before trading seven veterans in advance of the Aug. 1 deadline, the White Sox have been looking at multiple young players with an eye toward next year.
Acquired from the Astros in the Kendall Graveman deal, Korey Lee has been the Sox's regular catcher since coming up from Class AAA Charlotte on Aug. 24.
Lenyn Sosa is getting a look at second base, and the bullpen is full of inexperienced arms trying to show they belong in 2024.
Jesse Scholtens continued his bid to win a job in the starting rotation Friday, but he was roughed up in the White Sox's 10-2 loss to the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Lasting just 4 innings, Scholtens (1-9, 4.77 ERA) gave up 6 runs (5 earned) on 7 hits and 3 walks.
"Frustrating," said Scholtens, who has given up 13 earned runs in his last 12⅔ innings. "I know I'm better than the guy that's been going out there. It's just very frustrating."
Royce Lewis put Minnesota in front with a grand slam in the second inning. The rookie third baseman and No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft has hit 4 grand slams in his last 18 games.
Elvis Andrus' 2-run homer in the fifth inning was all the offense the Sox managed against starter Bailey Ober and three relief pitchers.
The White Sox are going to report to spring training in February with plenty of new faces, and manager Pedro Grifol said there are going to be job opportunities for one and all.
"If there's ever an opportunity to do that, this is it," Grifol said. "My suggestion, my advice to everybody who's going to come to our camp next year in 2024, if they truly want to play in the big leagues, they've got to come in with that mindset, because they're going to have an opportunity to, they really are.
"If you're coming to spring training with us in 2024 and you really have goals to make a big-league team, you're probably not going to have a better opportunity than with the 2024 White Sox."
Crochet update:
Out since mid-June with left shoulder inflammation, Sox relief pitcher Garrett Crochet continues to make progress on his minor-league rehab assignment.
After giving up 4 runs and striking out 11 over 6 innings with Class AA Birmingham, Crochet moved up to AAA Charlotte and pitched 1 scoreless inning in his debut.
Could Crochet rejoin the White Sox's bullpen before the season ends on Oct. 1?
"There's a possibility," manager Pedro Grifol said. "His rehab is going really well. He's throwing the ball well. There's a possibility, but we don't want to rush anything. We've got to take that slow and make sure that he's healthy and he fits to what we've been talking about that we want you to go into an off-season without having to rehab anything."