BOSTON — Outfielder Oscar Colas is one of 61 players used by the White Sox in 2024, a historic year for its record-setting losses and for the number of players used. But Colas, who was essentially the Sox’ Opening Day right fielder on a team that was supposed to be competitive in 2023 but lost 101 games, has played in only 13 this season.
While Zach DeLoach, a .287/.375/.410 hitter with six home runs at Triple-A Charlotte, enjoys a promotion to the major-league team, Colas waits at Charlotte.
“It’s a fair question” as to why Colas, once a prized international signee from Cuba, isn’t here now, assistant general manager Josh Barfield said.
“He has made some strides, and I know he hasn’t had a sustained run up here with the way everything has shaken out, but he’s still somebody we think a lot of,” Barfield said. “There is still some development that needs to go on.”
The Sox acknowledge that Colas was rushed to the big leagues, and he was sent back to Charlotte last season after fighting strike-zone and outfield issues. Some improvements were made, but the Sox want to see more. They need to see a lot more from players who should be developing in their farm system.
Colas, who turns 26 this month, was 9-for-33 (.273) with no extra-base hits and four walks in 13 games in June. In 96 games at Charlotte, he’s batting .243/.333/.393 with nine homers.
“You’ll see it in spurts, the ability to attack the baseball; the second time he came up, he had a nice stretch of at-bats,” Barfield said. “But [he needs to] continue to refine the approach. When he’s swinging at the right pitches, he’s a talented player who can help us in the long term. Just looking for that consistency.”
The development has been “a little slower than you’d like, but he has the physical tools to be at least an average or above-average outfielder,” Barfield said.
Andrew Benintendi and Luis Robert Jr. are going to be the regulars in left and center field, and Dominic Fletcher is getting valuable development time in right, so playing time isn’t all that readily available for Colas.
“Getting those regular ABs and playing in Triple-A, long term that’s going to pay him big dividends,” said Barfield, the former farm director with the Diamondbacks. “Learning and continuing to grow at the major-league level is really difficult.”
Nastrini to the bullpen
After walking six Orioles and allowing seven runs in 1⅔ innings in his last start, right-hander Nick Nastrini is going to the bullpen. A bullpen day is the likely option for the Sox on Nastrini’s turn Monday against the Guardians.
“Maybe take some of the thought process out for him,’’ interim manager Grady Sizemore said. ‘‘Let him go out and not know when he’s pitching and how many innings he’s going to be used. Let him be a weapon in the bullpen. Go out there and be free and let it loose.”
Another day for Lee
Catcher Korey Lee missed his second day because of back stiffness, although Sizemore said Lee wanted to play Saturday.
“He pushed back pretty stern, wanted to be in there,” Sizemore said. “Giving him an extra day today and seeing if he’s ready [Sunday]. No need to push it right now.
“It’s kind of a mid-back, kind of locked up, like a spasm type of thing.”