The Chicago White Sox are entering the final month of the 2024 campaign needing 11 more wins to avoid breaking the all-time MLB record for losses in a season. Rosters will expand on Sunday, and the White Sox may add an outfielder into the mix. Francys Romero reports that Chicago will call up Zach DeLoach when rosters expand.
Chris Getz and Co. acquired DeLoach in an offseason trade that sent Gregory Santos to the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners included reliever Prelander Berroa and draft compensation in the deal. DeLoach has played with the big-league club twice, appearing in three games in May and six in June.
Third Time's A Charm
The lefty slashed a paltry .136/.240/.422 in 25 plate appearances in the first career big-league action. However, DeLoach resoundingly earned this promotion. His bat heated up after posting a meager .667 OPS to start the season. Since July 1, DeLoach slashed . 322/.409/.916 over 40 games and 171 plate appearances.
Additionally, he's walking at a 12.8% rate and has swiped seven bags in as many attempts. The 26-year-old will likely see most playing time in right field but can handle left and center field duties.
Another Shot Earned
Right-handed pitcher Jairo Iriarte will be part of the White Sox' September call-ups, per James Fegan of SoxMachine . The South Siders acquired the native of Venezuela from the San Diego Padres as part of the Dylan Cease trade . Per reports, Iriarte will pitch out of the bullpen despite spending the vast majority of his minor-league career as a starter.
Like DeLoach, the 22-year-old earns this promotion after a solid recent stretch. Iriarte posted a 2.05 ERA over 44 innings in his last eight starts with the Double-A Birmingham Barons. He held hitters to a .573 OPS over that span while fanning 7.7 and walking 4.5 hitters per nine innings.
Iriarte showed flashes of dominance with 11 and 13 strikeouts in back-to-back starts in May. On July 20, the first start of the aforementioned stretch, he tossed five no-hit innings. Overall, it's been an up-and-down year for the righty. Iriartie made 23 appearances (22 starts) and posted a 3.71 ERA and 1.278 WHIP in 126 innings.
What's On Tap Next?
The White Sox' mix of right-field candidates for 2025 is crowded with Dominic Fletcher, Zach DeLoach, and Oscar Colas. While Colas hasn't figured much into the White Sox plans, there's reason to believe he'll have an opportunity to win a roster spot in Spring Training under a new manager. All three players hit left-handed, meaning one or two will get squeezed out. Although, there may be an opportunity for DH as well.
Jairo Iriarte may have a similar experience in 2025, with the White Sox rotation becoming crowded with pitching prospects. Nick Nastrini, Drew Thorpe, Jonathan Cannon, and Ky Bush have been given major-league opportunities this year. At the same time, Mason Adams continues to pitch well in the minor leagues' upper levels.
Since returning from Tommy John surgery, Davis Martin has performed well. There's also the possibility that Chicago retains all-star Garrett Crochet. Additionally, the White Sox have the top two left-handed pitching prospects in baseball , Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz, who could earn a shot at some point.
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