A workhorse starter and multifacted outfielder are selected to round out MLB’s worst roster
With rosters “expanding” to 28 for the rest of the season, the White Sox are giving two players a chance to be a part of their dubious history by calling them up to the South Side for September.
Starter Jairo Iriarte, acquired this spring as part of the Dylan Cease package, makes the jump directly from Double-A and will pitch ... in the ... bullpen? Speed-power outfielder Zach DeLoach, coming to the Sox in the offseason as part of the Gregory Santos package, rejoins the club on the South Side after going 3-for-22 (.136) with a double, RBI and run scored over nine games earlier this season.
But hey, don’t take my word for it, here’s the copyedited White Sox release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sunday, September 1, 2024
WHITE SOX ANNOUNCE TWO ROSTER MOVES
CHICAGO – Prior to today’s series finale vs. the New York Mets, the Chicago White Sox announced the following two roster moves:
Recalled from Triple-A Charlotte (1): OF Zach DeLoach;
Recalled from Double-A Birmingham (1): RHP Jairo Iriarte.
DeLoach, 26, is batting .285/.372/.406 with 21 doubles, six home runs, 54 RBIs, 65 runs and 20 stolen bases in 96 games with Charlotte this season. Over his last 40 games since July 1, he has recorded a .322/.409/.507 (47-146) slash line with 13 doubles, 29 RBIs and 32 runs.
DeLoach also has appeared in nine games over two stints with the White Sox this season, going 3-for-22 (.136) with a double, RBI and run scored. He was acquired from Seattle on February 3 with right-handed pitcher Prelander Berroa and a Competitive Balance B selection (No. 68 overall) in the 2024 draft in return for righthander Gregory Santos.
Iriarte, 22, is rated by MLB.com as the No. 5 prospect in the White Sox organization and the top right-handed pitcher. He is 4-7 with a 3.60 ERA, 116 strikeouts and a .222 opponents average over 22 games (21 starts) with Birmingham this season, his first in the Sox system after being acquired from San Diego on March 13 as part of a five-player deal.
Iriarte, 6´3´´ and 220 pounds, has gone 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA (10 ER/44.0 IP) and a .195 opponents average over his last eight starts since July 20.
The native of La Guaira, Venezuela, originally was signed by the Padres as an international free agent on July 2, 2018. He will wear uniform No. 52.
The White Sox active roster increases to 28.
It is worth noting that, as much as I’m mocking putting your “top right-handed starter prospect” in the pen for the last month of the season, as of the last White Sox stat pack over at FFSN Iriarte had thrown the most innings in the system, at 120 — 10 more than anyone else. He’s a hoss, and likely in line for at least a pitch count-restricted start sometime before season’s end.
As of the last stat run we made at FFSN, DeLoach ranked fifth overall in the system in RBIs and ninth in stolen bases. He has both the quickness and arm to play any of the three outfield positions.
