Do the Math

Miracle of miracles, the White Sox beat the Diamondbacks yesterday afternoon by a score of 7-3. Starter Sean Burke looked good, second baseman Lenyn looked even better. Burke threw five innings for the win, giving up two unearned runs. Sosa and rookie catcher Kyle Teel provided the offense, collecting three hits and two runs apiece. But the nod goes to Sosa, who hit two homeruns, both with two strikes. Sosa also hit an 0-2 pitch for a run-scoring single and had four RBIs on the day. Like I’ve said, he’s a bat-first kind of player. Oh, and rookie Grant Taylor pitched two innings, giving up an unearned run. The Sox used fifteen players total on the day. Of that number, six—Burke; Teel; Sosa; Taylor; Chase Meidroth; and Miguel Vargas—are worth keeping into next season. Add pitchers Jonathan Cannon; Wikelman Gonzalez; Davis Martin; Shane Smith; and Mike Vasil along with catcher Edgar Quero and you’ve got your 2026 keepers. That comes out to twelve players, which leaves fourteen spots being kept warm and nothing more. There are a handful of people in the minors who may or may not be ready next year; ditto for starter Drew Thorpe, who’ll be coming back from Tommy John surgery. That still leaves a whole lot of holes, especially on the positions’ side. Here’s a thought. Josh Naylor, who hit a two-run homer in the first (his tenth against the Sox to go with 40 RBIs and a career BA just shy of .350), will be a free agent at the end of the year. How about going after him?