The White Sox have moved on from Eric Haase, releasing the catcher from the minor league deal he signed only a couple of weeks ago.
Haase had given Chicago a quick reason to take notice at Triple-A Charlotte. In seven games there, he went 9-for-25 with a couple doubles, a homer, and five walks against five strikeouts.
That performance was enough to make his release look like a chance for him to find another opportunity elsewhere. When Joey Bart broke a bone in his hand, the White Sox passed on selecting Haase’s contract and stuck with the Drew Romo-Edgar Quero pairing instead.
Chicago had brought Haase in after the Giants let him go shortly before his signing. He spent the previous three months on San Francisco’s MLB roster after joining the club on a minor league deal in the offseason and going to camp with them. He didn’t win an Opening Day spot, but injuries opened the door by mid-April and he was up behind the plate.
The 33-year-old appeared in 29 games for San Francisco and filled a depth role. Across 84 plate appearances, he hit .162/.235/.365 with four home runs and struck out in a third of his trips.
That’s familiar territory for Haase, who has now played parts of nine MLB seasons. He brings above-average pop, plenty of swing-and-miss, a career .224/.276/.394 line, a good arm, and catching skills that aren’t considered especially polished.
With Bart and Kyle Teel both on the injured list, Romo and Quero are the only healthy catchers on the 40-man roster. Korey Lee now projects as the top depth option, and he’s the only catcher left in the organization with MLB experience. Teel, who is rehabbing a left ankle sprain, told MLB.com’s Scott Merkin on Wednesday that he’s progressing well, and the Sox are hoping he can return in September.
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A closer look at the adjustment points to a pitch mix change that could matter going forward. Castillo has leaned more heavily on his changeup, especially against left-handed hitters, and thats given him another weapon to keep lineups from sitting on his fastball and breaking stuff. For a White Sox staff that has needed stability and more reliable innings, the encouraging part is not just that Castillo has been better lately, but that the reason behind it may be something the club can count on. [Read more 🡒]