Running hard to first base used to be what you should least expect from a ballplayer. Now it might be the thing you least want them to do.
Nick Madrigal became the latest to fall victim to the first 90 feet. The hamstring injury he suffered Tuesday night was indeed as bad as it looked. The White Sox wasted no time placing him on the 60-day injured list this afternoon with a proximal tear of his right hamstring.
In a session with reporters, Rick Hahn said that Madrigal will be inactive for six weeks. Early in that period, the involved parties will decide the ultimate course for Madrigal’s recovery.
Madrigal follows Luis Robert and Eloy Jiménez to the 60-day IL. Robert also crumpled in a heap behind first base on an otherwise ordinary attempt to leg out an infield single, tearing his hip flexor, while Jiménez made an awkward attempt to rob a home run in spring training and tore his pectoral tendon. There’s no timetable for eiter player yet.
PERTINENT: Nick Madrigal’s improvements make him tougher for White Sox to replace
Madrigal’s roster spot will be going to Brian Goodwin. The Sox signed Goodwin to a minor-league deal back on May 4, when it appeared like he’d be taking the roster spot of a bench guy like Billy Hamilton or Danny Mendick, rather than that of a fixture.
Goodwin didn’t force the White Sox’s hand with his performance, hitting .244/.316/.395 at Charlotte. The good news is that his line is back=loaded, as he’s hit .291/.381/.473 over the Knights’ last three-plus series (16 games). The bad news is that he’s struck out in exactly one-third of his 63 plate appearances even while producing, an unwelcome follow-up on his career-worst 32.9 percent K rate in 2020.
His presence as a left-handed bat in the outfield frees up Leury García to help out Danny Mendick at second base in the interim, although Mendick will be getting the start tonight.
When Brian Goodwin is the answer, you’ve asked the wrong question.
Or you asked it to the wrong person.
I am not a doctor, but this seems an awful injury, and I highly doubt Madrigal will be back this year. Will the White Sox carry on with Garcia and Mendick the rest of the way? Tough decisions for Hahn. He could try bringing (via trade) in Adam Frazier. He plugs in 2B and in the remaining year of control, he can replace Eaton in 2022. The issue becomes what to do with Vaughn in 2022, but that’s next year’s problem.
If Frazier came to Chicago, wouldn’t Vaughn have been the centerpiece in the return? How else could that get done?
whoa… Frazier is a 29 late bloomer with one year left of control. He is hardly a star. I think he would cost Crochet.
This kind of got brought up on a fangraphs chat:
So, maybe more like like Jared Kelley and some other prospect not on the major league roster?
Not with the way Kelley has looked so far this season. Granted, he’s REALLY young for A-ball, but damn, his line is beyond terrible right now.
Sure, but it’s a small sample size and he’s a fairly well-regarded prospect for his stuff and prior work. I don’t think a couple months of sucking wipes all that out.
If the Sox gave up Kelley and Thompson, that’s their number 1 and 3 prospects and I think a reasonably fair return for Frazier. It’s possible the Pirates don’t like that deal, but I think when you are talking about a 29 year old with one year of control left and just this year of being good, that’s a very fair return. I wouldn’t trade Crochet for him.
I’m not saying give up hope on the kid, but it’s definitely hurt his value in the immediate term. He wasn’t a top-100 sort of prospect, but had that potential to move up, and now he’s not even in the conversation. If the market is heating up, I’m not sure how competitive a Kelley headliner trade proposal will be.
Personally, I would not trade Kelley for Frazier. I think you guys are overrating Frazier. He’s having a nice year for sure but he’s essentially a really good utility type player. He’s a guy that has to play 150+ games to be a 2 win player. His BABIP is 50 points higher than his career average, he’s gonna come back to earth soon.
I’d rather get someone like Eduardo Escobar.
I’m a big Escobar fan. I have no idea what he would cost though.
Try using a time machine.
Call up Burger and move Yoan to 2nd.
I’d be okay with this. It’s not like we know Burger is good but we do know Goodwin is bad. Lost three years and never played in high minors, but he has more reps than Vaughn at the beginning of the season right?
Considering how many of our prospects are tearing their legs off running to first base. I really really really don’t want Burger, he of twice torn Achilles, to be put in a stressful major league schedule.
This would be better than nothing; I cringe at Leury playing regularly the rest of the year. Sox have had trouble generating runs since Mercedesgate, certainly compared to prior. Goodwin probably isn’t the answer, and unless Eaton shows a miraculous turnaround, he’s not either. I love Vaughn long term but he’s not trending up at the moment. Too many holes in the lineup.
I think they have to consider a trade, whether that’s a 2b or RF I don’t care. although RF would be useful next year.
Haniger from SEA plays RF, hits, and has a contract through next year. I think that has to be an attractive target.
Or Gallo. I know he’s a very extreme offensive profile but the lineup could use more home run pop and his defense is top-notch.
I think Haniger actually hits RHP better so I’d prefer him, but I agree that Gallo or really any MLB quality bat is now desperately needed. And they have a hole in RF for the foreseeable future anyway, so it would it be a good time to fill it.
I didn’t realize how bad Gallo had been against RHP this year, but his career OPS is over .800, so I’d have to expect some positive regression there.
Gallo has been roughly league average against RHP his entire career though.
Could also go with Lamb at 3B as a first step
I vote for Jonathon Schoop. $4.5M salary for 2021. FA at year’s end. Not sure what Detroit needs for their future but it shouldn’t break the bank.
Brings some home run power, I guess, but I think between his mediocre defense and low OBP he’s not really that much of an upgrade from a Mendick/Leury tandem right now.
Can’t argue OBP. 748 career OPS quite a bit higher than Mendick’s 673 or Leury’s 647. Would allow Leury to go to his correct long term role of super utility. Solid vet for a playoff run. Again, short term alternative as a rental. Hahn will figure it out without our expert help.
I wondered if the White Sox might go with an all Tim middle infield
If Tim Beckham makes it anywhere near this roster it would be unconscionable.
Would Marco Hernandez in Charlotte have made sense as another option ? He’s hitting decent this year and maybe could run a platoon with Mendick as a LH bat? Leury/Mendick doesn’t seem like the best platoon.
My boy happens to be available, and all he would really cost is probably some cash going to Atlanta. If you actually value defense and run prevention, he may be as valuable as all the names tossed around here especially if he can hit cromulently.
BRING YOLMEME HOME!
Hear, hear!
So say we all
I would love to see Yolmer, obviously – but the Sox should go hard after Marte. He can play 2nd/CF and he’s my favorite player not on the team. I own a couple jerseys of his and he has been a centerpiece on all my DD teams. I’d love to add a Marte Sox jersey to the collection! Also under contract til 2024. I’d give up Crochet and another top tier prospect to get him. I think the Yankees might beat us to the punch though.
also the LaRussa connection, swinging this deal would make the DUI machine some what palatable (by somewhat, I mean, still not palatable, but closer to the break even line of palatability)
I don’t see the Sox paying for a long-term solution to two positions that already have long-term solutions
Just going by my gut, if the Sox think Frazier would cost too much, they’ll trade for one of the guys in Arizona, either Cabrera or Escobar.