Pregame notes: Derek Hill shipped out, Everson Pereira activated, Hagen Smith to come?

It's Christmas morning for roster speculators out there (our entire audience).

The White Sox have not only actually booted someone off the roster to make room for a player recovering from injury, but they possibly opened up a 40-man roster spot for a prospect debut. Feel free to hold this instance forever whenever I next (tomorrow, probably) downplay the future significance of a minor roster move.

Will Venable cited a "roster crunch" for why the Sox traded reserve outfielder Derek Hill to the Phillies for low level prospects, which corresponded with activating Everson Pereira off the injured list after ~six weeks on the shelf with a right pectoral strain that affected his throwing, but obviously took him away from facing live pitching for a very long stretch until his rehab assignment in Charlotte.

"I've been working on my swing," Pereira said via interpreter. "I felt pretty good in the games I've been playing in Charlotte. As of now, I feel pretty good with my swing. We'll see how it goes tonight."

Pereira doesn't expect any restrictions due to his injury, which will be needed, since his role upon return sounds like Derek Hill, but ideally with more slug.

"He will be starting against left-handed pitching and then against righties, it’s a crowded outfield," Venable said. "Tristan [Peters] has put himself in a position to be out there in center field against right-handed pitching. Sam [Antonacci], the same thing in left, and then Braden [Montgomery] will get an opportunity in right. As we need days [off] for guys, you see Pereira get some right-handed pitching. But we’ll mix and match and kind of see what it looks like. But probably not out there against righties every day."

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Where the 40-man roster spot comes in is that the Sox promise for a week of uncertainty with their rotation order has boiled into just a straightforward question of who fills David Sandlin's vacated spot. Sean Burke will start on Friday and Erick Fedde on Sunday against the Dodgers, where as Saturday remains TBA.

Joe Rock is in the building still and has yet to be used, a bullpen game remains possible, but Hagen Smith last pitched on Sunday, and has struck out 26 batters in his last 14 innings versus six walks, allowing just three runs. The only rub is that workload encompasses three starts.

They haven't been efficient outings for the former fifth overall pick, and the Dodgers offense doesn't seem like a great opponent to work through command issues against, but trying talking yourself into another option being better. The Sox clearly haven't managed to do so yet.

"The last outing was really good," Venable said of Smith. "He’s continuing to build up. So, he’ll be among the options. Everyone is an option right now. Again, we haven’t made any decision or taken anybody off the table."

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In another rebuke of my usual jaded approach to this job, Colson Montgomery returns to the lineup Thursday night after missing two games with back tightness, despite suggesting he might not return until Friday when he last spoke to the media.

Even with Pereira back, Montgomery adds needed thump to the Sox lineup against left-handed starters. But with his history of back issues, it'll be something he'll have to manage...for a while.

"He’s going to have to manage it his whole career," Venable said. "It’s something he’s dealt with in the past. Something he’ll deal with in the future. I don’t think to the degree you are concerned, other than the daily maintenance you have to do to keep your body functioning properly."

Kyle Teel was running the bases pregame Thursday under the observation of the training staff, which is typically one of the final stages before a rehab assignment.

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There is a lot of rain in the forecast Thursday night, and the team has already announced the game will be delayed. But scheduling the Braves to come back here is a to-do that no one in the league office wants to be bothered with. Do as I do, and prepare yourself to be thinking about White Sox baseball for the rest of the night.

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Another trade, if you can believe it: The White Sox have received outfielder Nolan Jones and cash considerations from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for another $250K chunk of international bonus pool space.

Jones is a big raw power lefty corner bat with big swing-and-miss issues who had a monster 2023 season with the Rockies, where he hit .297/.389/.542 with 20 home runs. He has not had major league success since, but was hitting .275/.385/.460 with Triple-A Columbus this season.

He is on a minor league deal and will report to Triple-A Charlotte.

First pitch: White Sox vs. Braves

TV: CHSN

Radio: ESPN 1000 AM, 107.9 FM La Ley (Spanish)

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