White Sox racing to put their Plan A outfield back in place

PHOENIX -- At the open of spring, the White Sox had five outfielders on veteran contracts, making it the one area of the roster seemingly walled off from actual camp competition. To the point that when former Gold Glove outfielder Joey Gallo reported to Camelback Ranch on a minor league deal, he was largely billed as an option at first base.

A right hand fracture, an oblique strain, some elbow discomfort and a few weeks later, and the White Sox still might have five outfielders walled off from the competition in camp. Not only did Gallo request his release in the intervening time, but the past month has seen him reach the decision to give up playing outfield all together.

There was a distinct men playing baseball at full-speed for the first time in a while signature to Austin Slater (oblique) and Andrew Benintendi's (hand) respective 0-fers in Maryvale against the Brewers on Wednesday. Taylor's (elbow) seventh game since his injury absence saw him connect on his first extra-base hit (and RBIs) of the spring, and the White Sox view a similar return to cromulence as something they can formulate for Benintendi and Slater to a degree beyond what the remaining Cactus League schedule would suggest is possible.

"This is still quality opportunity to get them some work," Will Venable told reporters pregame Wednesday. "We have six or seven more spring games. There are 'B' games, minor league games they can hit in. Still opportunity to build some volume and get them up to speed.

[Benintendi] scheduled to play [Friday] in the outfield, but depending on how he comes out of it [Wednesday] we’re going to build a program which will involve him potentially going on the back fields and getting a higher volume of at-bats, really working with him seeing how this next week works."

The Sox have already sent Cal Mitchell, Corey Julks, Dominic Fletcher and Zach DeLoach out to Triple-A, and while Oscar Colás returned to Cactus League action for the first time since his wrist sprain on Wednesday, it could have already been deduced that it was more of a good time than a long time sort of arrangement.

So it's a crowded picture on both sides, and has become so rather quickly, especially for a certain mid-March veteran addition who arrived in camp on the premise that there were a bunch of injured outfielders to spell.

"Janko is great," Venable said of non-roster invite Travis Jankowski, who played under him in Texas. "He’s been around. He’s one of those guys who fits in the clubhouse on Day 1. The things he’s willing to do on the field, a team guy. As we figure out where we’re at, as we piece this thing together, [we'll] figure out how we envision Janko helping us and how he fits in this whole thing."

Indeed they will. But with even Josh Rojas not ruled out for Opening Day despite a fracture in his right big toe, a lot of the figuring out is cycling back to just riding with Plan A, even if it requires some pain tolerance.

⚙️⚙️⚙️

Speaking of NRIs, it's the status that Mike Clevinger reminded the media scrum he still holds when asked about his chances of assuming the White Sox closer role.

"If that’s the role they put me in," Clevinger said of the ninth inning. "I’m just focused on making the team. I’m here on an NRI. I just want to make the team and go to Chicago."

Clevinger struck out two on Wednesday in his fourth straight scoreless outing since arriving in camp. Last year's season-ending neck surgery gave him a medically-backed Best Shape of His Life spring training story, as Clevinger detailed how his surgeon explained that many of his forearm troubles -- including the bicep injury in Los Angeles in 2023 -- likely stemmed from nerve issues rooted in his neck. Beyond his newfound health, Clevinger reads as simply too attention-grabbing of an addition for the White Sox to not having a higher-end role in mind. But the White Sox have never discussed their bullpen mix with the ego necessary to anoint a closer in spring.

"It's going to be hunting matchups," pitching coach Ethan Katz said of the bullpen hierarchy. "We're still getting to know a lot of the guys here, and figuring who can handle what types of situation, but also we want to put them in the best spot to succeed. By doing that, we should in turn get the results that we need. If we throw guys out there randomly, it could get a little ugly."

⚙️⚙️⚙️

As reporters waited for Shane Smith to complete his post-outing routine after shutting out his old organization for four innings on Wednesday, a Brewers media relations staffer and a beat writer tried to recall how they found themselves at this point: waiting to talk to a 25-year-old right-hander who never cracked Milwaukee's 40-man roster. Normally private conversations aren't fodder for content, but it was heartening to hear the same level of surprise felt on our side of Smith's journey.

Smith had impressed people in the Brewers organization with how he handled a surprise move from the bullpen to the rotation of the Double-A affiliate, and smoothly shifted back to the pen upon a promotion to Triple-A. They remarked on the promise he showed while incorporating some new pitch shapes into his arsenal (a sweeper with the Brewers, a low-90s changeup with the White Sox). But to cut to the chase, no one saw him sitting in the upper-90s, as he continued to do on Wednesday in the process of lowering his spring ERA to 3.38 -- which doesn't include a dominant B game performance his last time out.

"I didn't try and chase velocity this offseason," Smith said. "I think it came from just doing regular offseason work and weight room stuff; what makes my body feel good, what makes me move good, and I think that just culminates in good velocity."

After barely pitching at Wake Forest and being signed as an undrafted free agent while he was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, Smith isn't positioned to be particularly bitter toward the Brewers about being left unprotected from the Rule 5 draft. He's actually still living with three former teammates from the Brewers organization this spring, and has caught himself a few times realizing late that he's not on the same work schedule as his roommates anymore.

But the White Sox clearly represent another jolt to his career progression, and he lauded how comfortable he's become with the changeup they helped him add that may yet become his signature offering. Fellow former Brewers Bryse Wilson still looms as competition, but Smith made it clear he prefers to start if the option is available, and he wasn't ready to put the impact of winning a rotation spot into words.

"It would mean a whole lot more than I can say right now," Smith said. "Whatever decision they make I think I can live with. I think I put my best foot forward this spring, definitely."