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Chicago White Sox first baseman Tim Elko batted with a runner on second, two outs and the score tied in the seventh inning Saturday at Rate Field.
It’s the type of big spot a player dreams of in their major-league debut.
He hit a grounder up the middle that appeared to be headed to center field for a go-ahead single.
But Miami Marlins second baseman Javier Sanoja made a sliding backhanded stop, got up and fired to first to retire Elko to end the inning.
“I was hoping that would get through and we could get a run on the board there,” Elko said. “Guy made a nice play.”
The Sox were denied the run. And the Marlins carried over the momentum to the eighth when Eric Wagaman drove in two with a two-out triple against reliever Brandon Eisert.
The Marlins held on to defeat the Sox 3-1 in front of 24,364.
The Sox were limited to four hits, including a first-inning home run by designated hitter Andrew Vaughn, while losing for the fifth time in six games.
They wasted a strong outing from starter Shane Smith, who allowed four hits and struck out seven in six scoreless innings. At 11-29, the Sox matched the worst 40-game start in franchise history — sharing the mark with the 2018 club. Last year’s team, which went on to lose a modern-day MLB record 121 games, began 12-28.
The Sox are hopeful Elko can add some sorely needed pop to the offense.
Photos: Chicago White Sox lose to Miami Marlins 3-1
Officially called up before the game, Elko went 0-for-3 in his debut — flying out to center in the third inning, grounding out to third in the fifth and grounding out on the spectacular play by Sanoja in the seventh.
“Felt pretty good about (the at-bats),” Elko said. “I didn’t get a whole lot of great pitches to hit. They were making some good pitches. I feel like I took some balls and swung at some pitches there on the borderline. That’s baseball sometimes.”
As a whole, Elko described the day as “a lot of fun.”
“Getting to the ballpark and playing ball, just seeing all my teammates, meeting some of the new guys I haven’t played with that much yet and seeing guys I have played with,” he said. “Just being able to get out on the field with them and get my first game in was a lot of fun.”
The Sox promoted Elko to the big leagues from Triple-A Charlotte, where he was on a tear at the plate.
“I feel like a lot of hard work came to fruition,” Elko said before the game. “Just excited to get here and start my journey.”
Reports first surfaced of the move on Friday. In Saturday’s corresponding move, the Sox designated infielder Nick Maton for assignment.
Elko is slashing .348/.431/.670 with six doubles, 10 home runs, 23 RBIs and 20 runs in 31 games with the Knights. He leads all of minor-league baseball in OPS (1.101), is tied for the lead in home runs, ranks second in slugging percentage and third in total bases (75).
“Obviously excited about the potential offensively and defensively,” Sox manager Will Venable said before the game. “And he also makes a huge impact in the clubhouse.
“He just is always positive. And works extremely hard. So, absolutely a credit to him for continuing to put in the work and it has paid off.”
The Sox selected Elko in the 10th round of the 2022 draft out of Mississippi. He has a career .293/.348/.495 slash line with 58 doubles, 61 home runs, 218 RBIs and 179 runs in 325 games during four minor-league seasons (2022-25) in the Sox organization.
“The goal was always to become a professional baseball player and play in the MLB,” Elko said. “It was always in the back of my head. But always just try to be where my feet are. I always enjoyed my time at Ole Miss and winning a national championship down there and now it’s time to help the White Sox win some games here.”
Since 2023, Elko ranks first among minor-league leaders in hits (344) and games (301), is second in total bases (578), fourth in RBIs (202) and batting average (.297) and tied for eighth in home runs (56).
“He’s a competitor, he’s played well throughout the minor leagues,” Sox director of player development Paul Janish said during a videoconference call last week. “We talked about earning promotions, and that’s what he’s done throughout the minor leagues.
“Just can’t say enough about the kid, the makeup of the player. And the numbers on the field speak for themselves.”
Elko, 26, spread the credit around.
“Just a lot of help from people around me,” Elko said. “Got (Charlotte hitting coach) Jim (Rickon) and (Knights bench coach Angel Rosario) and (Sox director of hitting Ryan) Fuller and so many people to thank that have helped me along this journey and this year and just kind of getting me locked in on pitch decisions and what sort of pitches to do damage to.”
Elko earned White Sox Minor League Player of the Month honors for March/April after slashing .367/.448/.711 with nine home runs, 20 RBIs and a 1.159 OPS in 25 games. He reached base safely in 23 of those contests, hitting safely in 21.
That success drummed up strong support online.
“I try to stay off social media as much as I can, but I saw some of the stuff on Twitter — it’s pretty cool, to have support like that’s a pretty cool feeling,” Elko said.
Elko received the news that he would be joining the Sox from Charlotte manager Sergio Santos before Friday’s game.
“It’s been pretty fun, just getting texts from friends and family,” Elko said. “Sorry if I haven’t responded to some people. But it’s been awesome. Just thankful for everybody and great opportunity and ready to go.”
The Sox had Elko at first base and in the No. 8 slot of the lineup Saturday.
“Really doesn’t matter to me where I hit,” he said after the game. “I just want to get out there and be productive and do whatever I can to help us win.”
Vaughn was the designated hitter. His home run in the first inning was his second in as many games. Venable said the plan for the two will involve “mixing and matching” between first base and DH.
“There (are also) going to be times where (Miguel) Vargas might be at first base,” Venable said. “So, I think we are going to take this day by day. But you (can) expect to see both Tim and (Vaughn) at first base.”
Venable described Elko’s at-bats Saturday as “solid.”
“He looked comfortable, took some tough pitches,” Venable said. “I thought he constructed good at-bats. Nice play on him up the middle there (in the seventh).
“So a good day for him to get his feet wet and we’ll see what it looks like tomorrow.”
Elko was happy to share the experience with family and friends in attendance.
“To be able to see them and some of my friends who came too, it’s just a surreal moment,” Elko said. “To have them there with me is great.”
Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. did not play Saturday as he deals with “some soreness in his right knee,” according to Venable.
“With all these guys, we have a couple of guys banged up,” Venable said. “Kind of what you would expect being at the end of a stretch where it’s been 26 (games) out of 27 (days). Really dense part of the schedule here where these nicks and bruises are part of it. It’s more one of those than anything we are really concerned about.”
Venable said Robert’s situation is a “day-to-day thing. We expect him to be available though.”
Continue reading...
It’s the type of big spot a player dreams of in their major-league debut.
He hit a grounder up the middle that appeared to be headed to center field for a go-ahead single.
But Miami Marlins second baseman Javier Sanoja made a sliding backhanded stop, got up and fired to first to retire Elko to end the inning.
“I was hoping that would get through and we could get a run on the board there,” Elko said. “Guy made a nice play.”
The Sox were denied the run. And the Marlins carried over the momentum to the eighth when Eric Wagaman drove in two with a two-out triple against reliever Brandon Eisert.
The Marlins held on to defeat the Sox 3-1 in front of 24,364.
The Sox were limited to four hits, including a first-inning home run by designated hitter Andrew Vaughn, while losing for the fifth time in six games.
They wasted a strong outing from starter Shane Smith, who allowed four hits and struck out seven in six scoreless innings. At 11-29, the Sox matched the worst 40-game start in franchise history — sharing the mark with the 2018 club. Last year’s team, which went on to lose a modern-day MLB record 121 games, began 12-28.
The Sox are hopeful Elko can add some sorely needed pop to the offense.
Photos: Chicago White Sox lose to Miami Marlins 3-1
Officially called up before the game, Elko went 0-for-3 in his debut — flying out to center in the third inning, grounding out to third in the fifth and grounding out on the spectacular play by Sanoja in the seventh.
“Felt pretty good about (the at-bats),” Elko said. “I didn’t get a whole lot of great pitches to hit. They were making some good pitches. I feel like I took some balls and swung at some pitches there on the borderline. That’s baseball sometimes.”
As a whole, Elko described the day as “a lot of fun.”
“Getting to the ballpark and playing ball, just seeing all my teammates, meeting some of the new guys I haven’t played with that much yet and seeing guys I have played with,” he said. “Just being able to get out on the field with them and get my first game in was a lot of fun.”
The Sox promoted Elko to the big leagues from Triple-A Charlotte, where he was on a tear at the plate.
“I feel like a lot of hard work came to fruition,” Elko said before the game. “Just excited to get here and start my journey.”
Reports first surfaced of the move on Friday. In Saturday’s corresponding move, the Sox designated infielder Nick Maton for assignment.
Elko is slashing .348/.431/.670 with six doubles, 10 home runs, 23 RBIs and 20 runs in 31 games with the Knights. He leads all of minor-league baseball in OPS (1.101), is tied for the lead in home runs, ranks second in slugging percentage and third in total bases (75).
“Obviously excited about the potential offensively and defensively,” Sox manager Will Venable said before the game. “And he also makes a huge impact in the clubhouse.
“He just is always positive. And works extremely hard. So, absolutely a credit to him for continuing to put in the work and it has paid off.”
The Sox selected Elko in the 10th round of the 2022 draft out of Mississippi. He has a career .293/.348/.495 slash line with 58 doubles, 61 home runs, 218 RBIs and 179 runs in 325 games during four minor-league seasons (2022-25) in the Sox organization.
“The goal was always to become a professional baseball player and play in the MLB,” Elko said. “It was always in the back of my head. But always just try to be where my feet are. I always enjoyed my time at Ole Miss and winning a national championship down there and now it’s time to help the White Sox win some games here.”
Since 2023, Elko ranks first among minor-league leaders in hits (344) and games (301), is second in total bases (578), fourth in RBIs (202) and batting average (.297) and tied for eighth in home runs (56).
“He’s a competitor, he’s played well throughout the minor leagues,” Sox director of player development Paul Janish said during a videoconference call last week. “We talked about earning promotions, and that’s what he’s done throughout the minor leagues.
“Just can’t say enough about the kid, the makeup of the player. And the numbers on the field speak for themselves.”
Elko, 26, spread the credit around.
“Just a lot of help from people around me,” Elko said. “Got (Charlotte hitting coach) Jim (Rickon) and (Knights bench coach Angel Rosario) and (Sox director of hitting Ryan) Fuller and so many people to thank that have helped me along this journey and this year and just kind of getting me locked in on pitch decisions and what sort of pitches to do damage to.”
Elko earned White Sox Minor League Player of the Month honors for March/April after slashing .367/.448/.711 with nine home runs, 20 RBIs and a 1.159 OPS in 25 games. He reached base safely in 23 of those contests, hitting safely in 21.
That success drummed up strong support online.
“I try to stay off social media as much as I can, but I saw some of the stuff on Twitter — it’s pretty cool, to have support like that’s a pretty cool feeling,” Elko said.
Elko received the news that he would be joining the Sox from Charlotte manager Sergio Santos before Friday’s game.
“It’s been pretty fun, just getting texts from friends and family,” Elko said. “Sorry if I haven’t responded to some people. But it’s been awesome. Just thankful for everybody and great opportunity and ready to go.”
The Sox had Elko at first base and in the No. 8 slot of the lineup Saturday.
“Really doesn’t matter to me where I hit,” he said after the game. “I just want to get out there and be productive and do whatever I can to help us win.”
Vaughn was the designated hitter. His home run in the first inning was his second in as many games. Venable said the plan for the two will involve “mixing and matching” between first base and DH.
“There (are also) going to be times where (Miguel) Vargas might be at first base,” Venable said. “So, I think we are going to take this day by day. But you (can) expect to see both Tim and (Vaughn) at first base.”
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Venable described Elko’s at-bats Saturday as “solid.”
“He looked comfortable, took some tough pitches,” Venable said. “I thought he constructed good at-bats. Nice play on him up the middle there (in the seventh).
“So a good day for him to get his feet wet and we’ll see what it looks like tomorrow.”
Elko was happy to share the experience with family and friends in attendance.
“To be able to see them and some of my friends who came too, it’s just a surreal moment,” Elko said. “To have them there with me is great.”
Right knee soreness hampers Luis Robert Jr.
Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. did not play Saturday as he deals with “some soreness in his right knee,” according to Venable.
“With all these guys, we have a couple of guys banged up,” Venable said. “Kind of what you would expect being at the end of a stretch where it’s been 26 (games) out of 27 (days). Really dense part of the schedule here where these nicks and bruises are part of it. It’s more one of those than anything we are really concerned about.”
Venable said Robert’s situation is a “day-to-day thing. We expect him to be available though.”
Continue reading...
