White Sox Notes: Robert, Grandal, Bummer, Bullpen

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White Sox Notes: Robert, Grandal, Bummer, Bullpen

The White Sox placed the midfielder Louis Robert on the 10-day injured list due to blurred vision ahead of today’s contest with the Guardians. The placement is backdated to July 19, meaning he can’t return for another week. He has been struggling with lightheadedness for the past week and the team will give him a little more time to resolve the issue.

It doesn’t seem to be a big problem, as general manager Rick Hahn told reporters (including CHGO Sports’ Vinnie Duber) the team hoped he could return after a week. Even if he’s back when he qualifies for the first time, Chicago will have to go through a couple of crucial series without arguably their best player. Robert hits .301/.334/.461 with 12 home runs and 11 stolen bases in 323 plate appearances.

In a corresponding step, the Sox reinstated the backstop Yasmani Grandal from the IL. Cramps in the lower back cost the Springer around five weeks. Now that he’s back to health, Grandal will try to get back on track after struggling through what are arguably his worst months as a major league. He only carries a line of .185/.294/.237 through 201 plate appearances, a shocking drop for a player who hit .240/.420/.520 last season.

In other injury news, helpers Aaron Boomer told reporters this afternoon he’s staying about three weeks before coming back up a hill (via Athletic’s James Fegan). Bummer, who has been out since the second week of June with a sprained leg, hopes to return to the major league club sometime in early September. That makes it a virtual suspension for him to be placed on the 60-day injured list if Chicago needs a 40-man roster spot, and his still-far-off return schedule will play a role in the team’s approach to the deadline.

Hahn told reporters that given Bummer’s injury, Relief Pitching “probably the most obvious need‘ for his club (via ESPN’s Jesse Rogers). The Sox have invested heavily in the bullpen and signed over the past few seasons Liam Hendricks, Kendall Graveman and Yo Kelly to multi-year free-agent contracts (in addition to a lengthy contract extension for Bummer). Nonetheless, they were a midfield group that year, finishing 17th in ERA (3.90) and 13th in strikeout/walk difference (14.9 percentage points). That’s partly due to injuries, as Bummer, Hendriks and Kelly have all spent time on the injured list.

Chicago has gotten strong work from both Hendriks and Graveman and the former starter Reynaldo Lopez. Along with Kelly, that’s an impressive group of righties, but the Sox are down Tanner Banks as a top southpaw with bummer on the shelf. Banks has a respectable 3.05 ERA over 38 1/3 innings, but he only generates swinging strikes at an 8.4% clip and has a below-average strikeout rate of 20.9%.

A southpaw feels like a logical target for Hahn and his staff over the next week and a half. The division competitor Tigers was able to market itself Andrew Chafin, who will likely turn down his player option and be given a free hand at the end of the season. Detroit also has hard throwing Gregory Soto, but he’s controllable until 2025, so the Tigers probably aren’t keen on selling him to a division rival. Other left-handed auxiliary trade candidates include Joe Mantiply (To press), Stefan Okert and Richard Bleier (Marlin) and Matt Moore (Ranger). The angel Aaron Loup could also attract some interest, despite playing on a $7.5 million salary both this season and next and having a $2 million buyout for a club option for 2024. That could make him a difficult candidate for a Chicago team that commands a franchise-record payroll even if the Halos were willing to move him.

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