The start of the season for the Chicago White Sox has been better than expected, as the Sox are not at the bottom of the American League Central, and the Minnesota Twins are the lucky ones to hold that spot.
The White Sox’s success came from getting strong starts from all five starting pitchers, who almost set a Major League Baseball record for not allowing an earned run to start the season.
The other part of the White Sox’s success came from their offense, which utilized the home run ball to score all their runs.
The White Sox lineup has changed since Opening Day, with manager Will Venable utilizing either Nick Maton or Miguel Vargas in the leadoff spot depending on matchups, and he appears to be implementing a platoon situation at catcher.
Are the Chicago White Sox using a platoon situation at catcher?
There appears to be a platoon forming at the catching position as manager Will Venable seems to be using Korey Lee and Matt Thaiss based on matchups.
Lee and Thaiss have almost played the same amount of games, with Lee having one more under his belt at five, while Thaiss has played four.
Lee was expected to be the starting catcher for the White Sox after having a great spring, where he hit .375/.394/.531 for an OPS of .925 in 13 games.
That success, however, hasn’t carried over to the regular season, with Lee hitting .167 in six at-bats (seven plate appearances).
Thaiss has had a little more success to start the season, hitting .222/.462/.333 for an OPS of .795 in the four games he’s played in.
Thaiss does have an advantage over Lee on the defense, as he’s a better blocker of the baseball and can handle a pitching staff. That will come in handy this season as the White Sox have one of the younger rotations in baseball.
This could last a good bit
Sep 25, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox catcher Korey Lee (26) hits a two-run home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
This platoon situation at Catcher could be something Venable and the White Sox keep in place for at least the first month of the season.
Kyle Teel, the White Sox’s top-rated catching prospect, is currently at Triple-A Charlotte, where he is taking and was named the International Leagues Player of the Week.
Teel’s strong offensive performance could knock out either Thaiss or Lee from their job, and Teel could take over the responsibilities of being behind the dish.
For now, the Sox will be going with Lee and Thaiss, and hopefully, they can start to pick things up offensively.
One Chicago White Sox top prospects struggles are starting to become concerning
Read MoreFor More Great Chicago Sports Content
Get the latest Chicago sports news, analysis, and breaking stories on the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox, Sky, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story on your favorite Chicago teams.
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
