3 glaring roster holes keeping the Chicago White Sox from WS contention

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 24: Lucas Giolito #27 talks to Yasmani Grandal #24 of the Chicago White Sox after giving up a walk to Gio Urshela #15 of the Minnesota Twins to load the bases in the first inning of the game at Target Field on April 24, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 24: Lucas Giolito #27 talks to Yasmani Grandal #24 of the Chicago White Sox after giving up a walk to Gio Urshela #15 of the Minnesota Twins to load the bases in the first inning of the game at Target Field on April 24, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
(Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /

2. Left field

The Chicago White Sox are once again going to be without star-left fielder Eloy Jimenez for a significant period of time. After suffering a right hamstring strain in last night’s contest, Jimenez is reportedly set to miss around 6-8 weeks.

With Jimenez gone for a while, it looks like the top choice to replace him in left field is youngster Andrew Vaughn. Now, Vaughn is off to a hot start offensively and has already played over 750 innings in left field in the major leagues, but he profiles more as a first baseman or designated hitter.

Behind Vaughn, the Sox have Gavin Sheets – another player who definitely does not profile as an outfielder – and the previously-mentioned Leury Garcia, who can play left field well but cannot hit.

Adam Engel and Adam Haseley are two slick-fielding options that can (and will) see time in left field in the coming days but neither are big threats with the bat.

It seems as if the White Sox will need to flip back and forth between huge bats with poor gloves and great gloves with poor bats out in left field. With plenty of guys on the roster to replace Jimenez, they may not have to look outside of the organization but don’t have many reasons to feel optimistic without one of their best hitters in the lineup.