White Sox's Jake Burger: Smashes walk-off grand slam
Rotowire
Burger went 1-for-4 with a grand slam and a walk in Sunday's 6-2 win over the Tigers.
Burger came up clutch with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning. This was his second homer in his last four games, but he's seen his playing time drop off lately after holding a steady role in mid-May. The 27-year-old has hit just .209 (9-for-43) over his last 14 contests. For the season, he's at a respectable .265/.317/.606 slash line with 12 homers, 29 RBI, 22 runs scored and a stolen base through 145 plate appearances. With Yoan Moncada firmly in place as the starting third baseman, Burger's best bet for playing time remains at designated hitter.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Stuck on bench again
Rotowire
Burger will remain on the bench for Saturday's game against Detroit.
Burger has hit an impressive .268/.312/.598 on the season, homering 11 times in 41 games. That earned him 14 consecutive starts in mid-to-late May, but he's now been on the bench for three straight games. His .521 OPS over his last 12 contests may have something to do with his downtick in playing time, though it's not as if Gavin Sheets' .613 OPS in his last 12 games is much better.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Out of lineup Friday
Rotowire
Burger isn't starting Friday against the Tigers.
After homering in a pinch-hit opportunity Wednesday, Burger is absent from the lineup for the second straight game. Gavin Sheets will take over as Chicago's designated hitter and bat eighth.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Appears at second base
Rotowire
Burger went 1-for-1 with a solo home run Wednesday against the Angels.
Burger was out of the lineup for the second time in the last 13 games, though he entered the game at second base in the eighth inning and slugged his 11th homer of the season. He had been starting exclusively at designated hitter since Yoan Moncada's return in mid-May, but it appears that the team may be searching for additional ways to get Burger playing time.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Gets breather Wednesday
Rotowire
Burger is not in the starting lineup Wednesday against the Angels.
Burger will take a seat after he went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Tuesday's 7-3 win. Eloy Jimenez will take over at designated hitter while Gavin Sheets enters the lineup in right field and bats eighth as the White Sox attempt to take the rubber match with Los Angeles.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Absent from lineup
Rotowire
Burger is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Angels, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Eloy Jimenez has started in right field for each of his two games since returning from the injured list, but while Burger was at designated hitter Sunday, he'll begin this one on the bench. Andrew Vaughn will serve as the DH and Gavin Sheets will play first base.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Playing second base possible
Rotowire
Burger took grounders at second base pregame Tuesday, with White Sox manager Pedro Grifol saying he's open to using the 27-year-old at the position, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
Grifol indicated back in mid-April that it was unlikely he'd use Burger at second base, but the latter's ongoing success at the plate has apparently led to the skipper reconsidering the matter. Burger does have modest experience at the keystone, but the White Sox certainly would be taking a hit defensively when he plays there. However, it might be worth it in order to keep his bat in the lineup when Eloy Jimenez (abdomen) returns.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: In No. 2 spot Tuesday
Rotowire
Burger is starting at designated hitter and batting second for the White Sox on Tuesday in Cleveland.
Burger comes into action Tuesday with a 1.234 OPS and three homers in 27 plate appearances this season against left-handed pitching, so he'll be up in the No. 2 spot versus southpaw Logan Allen. The slugger's 24.2 percent barrel rate in 2023 ranks second in baseball behind only Aaron Judge.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Sleeper hitters for Week 9 (May 22-28)
Rotowire
There hasn't been a more efficient hitter of home runs this year than Jake Burger, who also has one of the top five hardest-hit balls this year. He seems to have the DH job on lockdown for now, so you'll want to take advantage of the White Sox's fourth-best hitter matchups this week.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Smacks another homer
Rotowire
Burger went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and a triple in Wednesday's 7-2 win over the Guardians.
Burger has homered in three straight games since coming back from a short stint on the injured list with an oblique strain. He's also gone 7-for-12 in that span. The 27-year-old has settled into the starting job at designated hitter with Eloy Jimenez (abdomen) sidelined, and that should be Burger's spot for roughly another week. For the season, Burger is slashing .278/.348/.747 with a career-high 10 homers, 20 RBI, 14 runs scored, five doubles and a triple through 89 plate appearances.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Powerful in return
Rotowire
Burger went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run Tuesday's 8-3 win over the Guardians.
Burger took Shane Bieber deep in the fifth inning to tally his ninth homer of the season. It was his second long ball in as many games since he returned from an oblique injury Sunday, and he should get regular run as the White Sox's designated hitter so long as Eloy Jimenez (abdomen) is sidelined. Overall, Burger has hit .253/.329/.680 across 85 plate appearances, albeit with a 31.8 percent strikeout rate.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Homers in return to lineup
Rotowire
Burger went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Astros.
Burger gave the Sox life after launching a first pitch curveball that just snuck over the left field wall to bring his squad within a run. The 27-year-old now has eight homers in just 81 plate appearances on the year and should find himself in a daily role as long as Eloy Jimenez (abdomen) is out with injury. Burger is now slashing .239/.321/.648 with 16 RBI, 12 runs and a 7:26 BB:K.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Back from IL
Rotowire
The White Sox reinstated Burger (oblique) from the 10-day injured list prior to Sunday's game against the Astros, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
Burger will hit seventh and serve as Chicago's designated hitter in Sunday' series finale. The 27-year-old spent the minimum 10 days on the shelf due to the oblique strain and was deemed fit to rejoin the White Sox after a two-game rehab stint with Triple-A Charlotte. Though fellow third baseman Yoan Moncada narrowly beat Burger back from the IL, the latter should have a fairly clear path to steady playing time at DH while Eloy Jimenez (appendectomy) is sidelined for the foreseeable future.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Ready for Sunday activation
Rotowire
Burger (oblique) has joined the team and will likely be activated ahead of Sunday's game against the Astros, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
Burger hit .224 with seven home runs, 11 runs and 14 RBI in 23 games prior to suffering a mild left oblique strain in early May. Yoan Moncada has since returned from his injury, but Eloy Jimenez's emergency appendectomy likely opens up regular work for Burger in the short term.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Cleared for rehab assignment
Rotowire
Burger (oblique) was cleared Wednesday to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
Burger should be in line for a short stay in the minors, given that he's been on the shelf for less than a week due to a mild left oblique strain. He's first eligible to be activated from the 10-day injured list Sunday and may be ready on that exact day. Hanser Alberto is currently serving as the primary third baseman for the White Sox with Yoan Moncada (back) also residing on the IL.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Lands on IL with oblique strain
Rotowire
The White Sox placed Burger on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a strained left oblique.
Burger suffered the injury while taking a swing during Wednesday's 6-4 win over the Twins. The severity grade of the strain is not clear, but even in a best-case scenario, Burger will likely be sidelined for most of May. Hanser Alberto is handling third base Thursday and could get regular run at the position while Burger and Yoan Moncada (back) are on the shelf.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Pulled from game early
Rotowire
Burger was lifted from Wednesday's contest against Minnesota in the fifth inning due to an apparent side injury, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Burger appeared to wince and grab at his left side after swinging and missing at a pitch in the fourth inning. More details will likely come after Wednesday's game, but the 27-year-old infielder should be considered day-to-day until more is known. Hanser Alberto came in to replace Burger at third base.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Mashes seventh homer
Rotowire
Burger went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Rays.
His second-inning shot off Zach Eflin proved to be the last gasp of offense Chicago could manage off Tampa Bay pitching. Burger has a clear path to regular playing time at third base with Yoan Moncada (back) not expected to return for at least a few more weeks, and the 27-year-old has earned it by slashing .259/.349/.722 through 63 plate appearances with four doubles, seven homers and 13 RBI.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Hits sixth homer of year
Rotowire
Burger went 2-for-3 with one double, one home run, two RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's 14-5 loss to the Rays.
Burger is well on pace to pass his career high of eight homers in a season barring any major injury. The infielder also has a 1.019 OPS through 50 at-bats, which will be hard to maintain as the year goes on. However, the 27-year-old should keep getting opportunities to prove himself, with the White Sox (7-19) struggling mightily this year.
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White Sox's Jake Burger: Power surge continues Tuesday
Rotowire
Burger went 1-for-2 with a walk and a three-run home run in a 3-0 win over the Phillies during the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader.
After going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the matinee, Burger supplied the only offense in the nightcap by crushing a Bailey Falter fastball in the first inning. The 27-year-old has gone yard four times in the last five games, and since his early-April promotion Burger is batting .308 (8-for-26) with five homers and 10 RBI. He could be tough to dislodge from the lineup, even after Yoan Moncada (back) is ready to return.
