In a move that was a bit surprising to some, catcher Korey Lee has closed camp as a member of the Chicago White Sox major league roster. Max Stassi has gone on the injured list, the 10-day kind, with a hip injury. This was somewhat of a surprise, although the Sox reported that Stassi was experiencing some general soreness.
Korey Lee Gets The Nod As Max Stassi Hits The Injured List
Hopefully, for the White Sox, it’s nothing that anyone has to worry about too much, and Stassi will be back in the lineup and ready to go soon. We all know what Lee is capable of doing. He’s solid behind the plate but struggles a bit alongside it. Hopefully, the White Sox may not need his services that long, but if they do, they might take a slight step back with Lee in the lineup. But then again, the White Sox don’t have an outstanding catcher at the plate. They are there to catch and not to bat so much, and the batting is just an added plus. Lee is there to see. If he grows into a good batter, so be it. That would benefit the Sox even further.
The White Sox are going to need all the batting they can get this season. However, defense is also important. Having a solid catcher behind the plate is going to help them win a handful of games this season. We all know that Martín Maldonado is solid; he’s the starter. Stassi is the backup, and he’s good behind the plate. Lee has a lot to learn, but he will be good when it’s all said and done. The White Sox need to have their catcher position to be spot on this season. The catcher will have to help these pitchers settle in and get working to be effective.
In Other News
In other news, the White Sox signed outfielder Kevin Pillar to a contract last week. The White Sox designated Touki Toussaint for assignment to make room for him. The roster is now set. How close did we come to predicting the White Sox’s opening-day roster? The Sox let go of right-handed pitcher Jesse Chavez. The Atlanta Braves almost immediately picked up Chavez.
Hopes are high that both Yoán Moncada and Eloy Jiménez will be able to pay a majority of the games this season. Over the last few seasons, both have struggled to stay in the lineup, which has hurt the White Sox. If they could get 140 or more games out of the two that would go a long way towards helping improve the team and making the Sox a contender in the future.
The reports state that Luis Robert Jr. is okay after getting hit in the arm by a pitch the other day. Nothing serious happened, and he appears poised to make his season debut against the Detroit Tigers. The White Sox will hope that their best player can play many games and put up some huge numbers.
The White Sox face the Detroit Tigers for the first series of the season, a three-game one. After that, they will host the Atlanta Braves at home for a three-game set.
Main Photo Credits: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
