Yasmani Grandal has performed in seven consecutive postseasons, so he has seen the way in which commerce deadline strikes can impression a crew past the on-field contributions.
“It is always a power boost when you make a move, no matter whether you’re on a winning team or a losing team,” the Chicago White Sox catcher mentioned Saturday. “When you make a transfer, it exhibits belief within the crew. It exhibits belief within the skill the gamers have and all they’re making an attempt to do is assist us out to get to the place we wish to be.
“This is a fun time in baseball.”
As this 12 months’s 5 p.m. deadline on Aug. 2 nears, the Sox discover themselves in a battle with the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Guardians within the American League Central. The South Siders entered Tuesday’s recreation at Colorado with a .500 report and in third place, trailing the second-place Guardians by a half recreation and the division-leading Twins by 4. A 2-1 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field lifted the Sox to 49-48.
All three groups have choices to make. One potential space of focus for the Sox, in accordance with normal supervisor Rick Hahn, is the bullpen.
“I think every team in baseball, whether they’re in it or not, never feels like they have enough pitching and we’re certainly not immune to that, primarily in the bullpen,” Hahn mentioned Friday. “Obviously (reliever) Aaron Bummer has been absent for a while (with a left lat strain). He’s starting to make some progress and we do project (him) to return at some point, but that’s not guaranteed. So I would say bullpen’s probably the most obvious need.”
The left-handed Bummer has been on the injured record since June 9. The Sox lately have had only one lefty of their bullpen, Tanner Banks.
Sox relievers entered Tuesday tied for tenth within the AL with a mixed 4.05 ERA. But the bullpen’s 2.27 ERA since July 9 is the fourth-lowest in baseball.
As for the beginning rotation, Hahn mentioned he would “love for these to be the five here on out,” referring to Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Johnny Cueto and Michael Kopech.
“If there’s a chance to add to it and get better, we’ll look at it,” Hahn mentioned. “We’re not going to say no to anything that could potentially make us better.”
Hahn acknowledged that offensive and defensive performances at second base and proper area “haven’t quite been what we would hope.”
Said Hahn: “That said, if you look at what (second baseman) Josh Harrison has done since June 1 (.283 average, six doubles, four home runs and 15 RBIs in 35 games) and you look at what (right fielder) Gavin Sheets has done since he returned from the minors (.259 average, three home runs and 12 RBIs in 25 games since June 23), those both potentially could be solutions there. We’ll have to wait and see.”
This postseason features a third wild-card spot in every league, which might add a winkle to groups in search of commerce companions.
“If we find the right deal for a player we think is impactful, we are going to want to pull the trigger when it’s available to us and not wait around,” Hahn mentioned. “Take that hen within the hand versus the 2 within the bush.
“With that said, (with) more teams being in it, the added playoff spots, a lot of these decision might come down to the deadline so teams know exactly where they sit.”
The Sox had been lively final season, buying relievers Craig Kimbrel and Ryan Tepera in separate offers with the Cubs and second baseman César Hernández from Cleveland.
Time will inform how this season’s deadline unfolds.
“We’ve had a bunch of conversations and we’ve got a bunch of different ideas,” Hahn mentioned. “You’ve acquired a number of groups in it proper now, so the so-called ‘true sellers’ are a bit bit restricted and what they’ve might not precisely align with what we want.
“But it will be a fun (week) from the standpoint of playing different ideas and hopefully we find a way to make this team better.”
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com