The White Sox flirted with the .500 mark for the first three months of the season, but it’s been a disaster since the All-Star break. They were swept by the A’s, which is understandable as Oakland is very much in the playoff picture, but then the lowly Royals swept a four-game series in Kansas City.
With their current seven-game losing streak the White Sox are now a season-high nine game below .500 at 42-51.
There’s probably no player in the clubhouse more frustrated than José Abreu. He signed before the 2014 season, hoping to be on a contender and after things fell apart in 2016, Abreu hasn’t complained once about the rebuild. He’s embraced it, looking to be a mentor for the young players and expressing his loyalty to the organization numerous times.
But after Thursday’s 6-5 loss that completed a sweep, Abreu seemed to have taken a shot at the front office.
And in case you were hoping for a Luis Robert call up in 2019, here’s White Sox GM Rick Hahn on that subject from Wednesday.
Via The Athletic.
• Hahn said Luis Robert’s major-league debut likely won’t happen until 2020, despite the young star announcing his arrival to Triple A with a .440/.500/.960 batting line and three homers in six games.
“It’s been six games, so let’s keep a little perspective,” Hahn said. “I’m fine with the calls getting greater or the excitement getting greater to see another potential premium piece here at the big-league level. I hope he keeps this roll going. It’s probably unrealistic to hope he rolls like this all the way through Triple A.”
After Thursday’s game the White Sox optioned Charlie Tilson to Triple-A. There’ll be a corresponding move before Friday’s series opener against the Rays, but it won’t be Robert.
The White Sox are on pace to win 73 games this year. Since 2014, Abreu’s first year with the White Sox, the team’s best winning season was in 2016, when they were 78-84.
It’s year three of the rebuild and the frustration is hitting its peak for Abreu.
