If Jake Burger gets sent back down to Triple-A Charlotte when Luis Robert returns from the COVID-19 list it would be criminal. Since getting called back up to the big leagues, Burger has provided the White Sox with instant offense.
On Wednesday night he launched a three-run homer off Red Sox starter Rich Hill, who had rendered the White Sox hitless through four innings. It was the only three runs the White Sox would score.
On Saturday night he homered once again, this time off of Chicago Cubs starter, Keegan Thompson. The ball traveled 424 feet and left his bat at 106.3 mph. Factor in a raucous Guaranteed Rate Field crowd of over 37 thousand people during a Crosstown rivalry game, and this was a moment for Burger.
Not only did Burger provide the White Sox with their only run, but he also led the team with three hits on Saturday. He could have had another RBI in the second inning if Yasmani Grandal did not run like mud sliding uphill. With two on and two outs, Burger was able to take a pitch through the right side of the infield. Most players would have been able to score from second base on that play. Unfortunately, Grandal is the slowest player on the roster and was thrown out at the plate.
His home run also happened to come on National Hamburger day. While it was a fun fact to check off on Burger’s list of accomplishments, it does not mask the fact that a 26-year-old who was just recalled from Triple-A Charlottle provided the White Sox with their only offense for the second time this week.
In just 83 at-bats this season Burger now owns three of the White Sox’s five longest home runs in 2022. His blast on May 25th against the Red Sox traveled 444 feet, which was the second-longest home run for the White Sox this season behind only Eloy Jimenez. His 430-foot solo home run on April 15th is the third-longest and his homer against the Cubs is tied for fifth-longest.
Entering Sunday’s game Burger is hitting .253 with four home runs, 12 RBIs, and a .714 OPS. That beats Yoan Moncada in every category. Moncada is batting just .136, with two home runs, four RBIs, and a .431 OPS.
While Moncada has gotten off to a slow start, he does play better defense than Burger at third base. That is not to say that Burger has been bad at third base. In fact, he has shown that he can be a very good third baseman at the major league level.
For the time being, he has earned more playing time than Moncada. Eventually, Moncada will have to be worked back into the lineup. He showed in 2019 what he is capable of offensively. But when that time comes that doesn’t mean the White Sox should remove Burger from the starting lineup.
Burger has better offensive number than the other two options at second base despite getting fewer opportunities at the plate. Josh Harrison is batting .174 with three RBIs, no home runs, and a .520 OPS this season. Meanwhile, Leury Garcia is batting .191 with two home runs, 11 RBIs, and a .480 OPS.
He might not be the best defensive solution at second base. However, Burger spent the majority of the offseason getting work in at second base as well so the position is not foreign to him.The way the offense has been functioning they need all the help Burger can provide.
Even if he is serving as a designated hitter, Burger can be a valuable asset for Tony La Russa’s squad. The bottom line is he needs to remain in Chicago.
