As the White Sox’ front office filled out the roster ahead of what was expected to be another losing season, outfielders Mike Tauchman and Michael A. Taylor struck as sign-and-flip veterans.
Austin Slater, a fellow outfielder, turned out to be the Sox’ lone offseason signee to actually get flipped at the trade deadline. But despite not netting any prospects in a trade, Tauchman and Taylor are having an impact on general manager Chris Getz’s rebuilding project, as sage veterans showing a group of youngsters how to do things at the major league level.
On the field, Tauchman has been successful, entering Sunday with 1.9 bWAR, the most among Sox position players. Taylor’s numbers don’t stand out as much, but with three homers in his last five games, he’s up to eight on the season.
It’s off the field, though, where their biggest impact can be tracked, influencing the young players who hope to be part of winning Sox teams years down the road.
Tauchman — under club control for next season — has earned props from team brass as a respected clubhouse presence, a vocal leader.
Some of the traits that have made him effective in that role were visible Friday, when an emotional outburst following a failed check-swing attempt led to his first career ejection.
“He’s a passionate guy, really wants to win,” manager Will Venable said Sunday. “He’s super competitive and puts everything he has into these games and his training and his preparation. It comes out every once in a while, but that’s Mike and that’s why he’s such an impactful player for us.”
You’re likely to never see that from the reserved Taylor. But that doesn’t mean he’s not helping the young guys.
“He’s very similar [to Tauchman], just packaged differently,” Venable said. “Where Tauch is much more vocal than Michael Taylor, Michael’s got that quiet wisdom that he’ll sprinkle on the group every once in a while. He’s a guy that goes out there and leads by example, also.
“He’s meant a great deal and had a huge impact, obviously, on the field and in the clubhouse being that stable veteran presence for our guys.”
Locked-in Lenyn
Though shortstop Colson Montgomery got all the attention for blasting the longest homer at Rate Field this season, he didn’t even hit the first home run of the first inning in Sunday’s 6-4 win.
Second baseman Lenyn Sosa smacked a two-run shot three batters earlier, his 14th long ball of the season, tying him for the team lead.
Sosa has hits in 11 of his last 13 games, with a .370/.423/.696 slash line, five homers and 11 RBIs during that span.
“Since Opening Day — even before that, in spring training — I felt like, yeah, I belong here,” Sosa said through an interpreter. “I’m a good player, and I know I can do the job I am supposed to do here. There’s no doubt in my mind that I deserve to be here and that I am part of this.”
Bullpen line change
In the middle of a spate of brief outings by their starters, it’s no surprise the Sox needed some relief reinforcements.
The team called lefty Cam Booser and righty Elvis Peguero up from Triple-A Charlotte on Sunday, swapping out lefty Bryan Hudson, who had pitched three times in five days, and righty Wikelman Gonzalez, who made back-to-back appearances Friday and Saturday.