White Sox Dropping Hints That Leury Garcia’s Days Are Numbered
Yesterday White Sox manager Pedro Grifol made a comment that turned some heads.
“Our backup shortstop plays second base for us every day,” Grifol said in reference to Elvis Andrus. “So, it’s not really a pressing need to have a utility player on our bench that is a shortstop. We are pressed to do that. Would it be of value? Yeah, maybe. Not of great value, but of some value.”
Many fans interpreted this as the end of Leury Garcia. Roster decisions for the final bench spot are on the horizon, and Grifol has been understandably tight-lipped about offering clues as to who will claim the final roster positions.
Garcia is owed $11 million over the next two years. Jerry Reinsdorf doesn’t have a reputation for eating money, and Garcia’s ability to play across the diamond and ten years of prior experience on the South Side also factor into the equation. But Dallas Keuchel proved that poor performance will only be tolerated for so long. The White Sox let Keuchel go when he was still owed $18 million.
White Sox general manager Rick Hahn reaffirmed this statement during an interview with Chuck Garfien on the White Sox Talk Podcast, saying, “Jerry’s competitiveness will trump the sunk cost of eating money.”
Once again, it seems like another sign from White Sox brass that Garcia’s days are numbered. Hanser Alberto could help this ball club. He possesses plenty of fine qualities that make him a good depth piece. All his current and former teammates give him rave reviews, and he is tearing the cover off the ball in Spring Training.
Alberto is batting .450 with a pair of homers and a 1.276 OPS in Cactus League action, while Garcia is hitting .222 with a .680 OPS and a homer. After watching Garcia flounder at the plate for much of the 2022 season, many fans are ready to jettison him from Chicago.
Cactus League results need to be taken with a grain of salt. Zack Collins had a great Spring in 2021. He led the team for much of the spring with a .429 average and a 1.110 OPS. He was sent down before the season’s end and traded the following offseason.
Jacob May also excelled during Spring Training in 2017, earning him a spot on the Opening Day roster. He had just two hits in 36 at-bats before being sent down and never played in the MLB again. You can’t fall in love with Spring Training results. But there is no denying the recent body of work in Spring Training and regular season action favors Alberto.
A case could be made to keep both. Garcia would be the fourth outfielder, while Alberto would be the utility infielder. However, keeping both Garcia and Alberto seems redundant. Both play multiple positions and serve as the utility man. Garcia has more experience in the outfield and can switch hit.
Garcia has a few other things going for him. His competition includes Jake Marisnick, who is hitting .194 this Spring, and Billy Hamilton, who offers little outside-of-speed on the basepaths, a late-inning defensive replacement from time to time, and good locker-room vibes.
Jake Burger is having a phenomenal Spring. But he is blocked by Yoan Moncada at third base and Eloy Jimenez and Gavin Sheets at DH. But when he was in the lineup last season, he was clutch. He, too, has earned a roster spot but may be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
On the flip side, Jake Burger and Gavin Sheets provide more offense than Garcia. A lineup with Burger’s name in it looks a lot more dangerous than a lineup with Garcia’s name in it. Marisnick provides better outfield defense. Hamilton offers more speed, and Alberto has a higher career batting average. Late in a game I would rather have Marisnick or Hamilton in the outfield or on the basepaths over Garcia. Romy Gonzalez seems like the only player that Garcia is a surefire lock over.
Since Grifol said they don’t necessarily need a utility infielder, they could keep Burger since he is the best bat of the bunch and then go with Marisnik or Hamilton as a true extra outfielder and speed guy. This competition could go in so many different directions it is hard to speculate. But the bottom line is, which combination gives the team the best chance to win? At the moment, not many include Garcia.