The White Sox are set to get some much needed reinforcements early this week, as manager Pedro Grifol tells reporters, including MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, that both shortstop Tim Anderson and infielder Hanser Alberto are expected to return from the injured list on Tuesday.
That’s great news for the club, as the White Sox have begun their 2023 campaign with a worrisome 7-21 record that places them tied for last in the AL Central, nine games back of the division-leading Twins.
Anderson, a two-time All-Star who won the batting title in 2019, is one of the club’s marquee players. From 2019-21, Anderson posted 11.6 fWAR in 295 games, a pace of nearly 6.4 fWAR per 162 games, thanks to solid defense at shortstop paired with a .322/.349/.495 slash line that was good for a 126 wRC+. However, Anderson missed three months of action in 2022 due to multiple injuries and didn’t reach those same standards when on the field, posting a 110 wRC+ in 79 games along with a .093 ISO that was far below the .173 he managed during his peak years.
Even after a relative down season last year, Anderson figures to be one of the club’s best players this season, and any hope of a turnaround for the White Sox after this brutal start likely rests in large part on his shoulders.
He’ll be joined by Alberto, who figures to join Chicago’s bench mix alongside Romy Gonzalez, Lenyn Sosa, Gavin Sheets and Adam Haseley.
Despite a career wRC+ of just 77, Alberto is in his eighth year in the majors thanks to his versatility. He has played all over the diamond except for behind the plate and in center field. He also has a penchant for avoiding strikeouts, as the 30-year-old veteran has punched out in just 12.2% of his 1,406 plate appearances in his career to this point.
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