White Sox Call Up Dustin Harris Before Bad News Breaks on Brooks Baldwin

The Chicago White Sox narrowly had their fourth straight win on Monday against the Baltimore Orioles.

The difference in the game essentially came in the top of the fourth inning, when Tyler O'Neill sent a fly ball toward left field. The Sox' Austin Hays began to track it down and was en route to make the inning-ending grab. Instead, he came up limping as the ball dropped in play and allowed Adley Rutschman to score all the way from first base. The Orioles would go on to win the game 2-1.

As if we needed any official confirmation, the Sox placed Hays on the 10-day IL Tuesday morning with a hamstring strain. Subsequently, they added outfielder Dustin Harris into the mix from Triple-A Charlotte. The 26-year-old will return to the big leagues after appearing in 46 games over the last two seasons with the Texas Rangers.

Harris has put together a solid showing in Charlotte to start the 2026 season. He has seven hits in eight games with a trio of RBIs. More importantly, however, is Harris' versatility in the outfield. He has already played at all three positions over the first couple of weeks, and he's even made an appearance at first base. For a Sox team that also lost Everson Pereira to the IL in recent days, it comes as little surprise that they went with a more experienced defensive option.

Indeed, many fans were quick to call for Sam Antonacci. Recently elevated to a Top 100 ranking by Baseball America, Antonacci looked the part of a major leaguer in both spring training and the World Baseball Classic. Nevertheless, the Sox are clearly taking things slow with the fiery playmaker, especially with infield depth being an area of strength.

Speaking of which, the team also called up infielder Tanner Murray in recent days to replace Pereira. It only made sense to go with a true outfielder this time around, even if Antonacci has been getting in some light work in left field with Charlotte.

With that said, it's still only a matter of time before Antonacci gets the call. Not only is he playing that well in the minors, but the Sox' other recent injury news has eliminated some potential competition.

White Sox Provide Update on Brooks Baldwin

Sep 3, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago White Sox right fielder Brooks Baldwin (27) hits a RBI single against the Minnesota Twins in the ninth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Brooks Baldwin was putting together a strong spring training before the injury bug took a bite. He tallied ten total bases in his eight outings and only struck out three times. The team eventually held him out due to elbow soreness, which has turned into the worst-case scenario.

According to Brooke Fletcher, Baldwin decided to undergo a season-ending UCL procedure on his left elbow to begin the month. He will now begin recovery with a return timeline set for the 2027 spring training. Baldwin has appeared in 136 White Sox games over his career, which included a career-high 103 outings and 300 at-bats in 2025.

To be sure, Baldwin had yet to prove he was deserving of an everyday role at the MLB level, but there is no question he showed flashes of being a dependable contributor. Particularly with the Sox' options in center field somewhat limited heading into this season, Baldwin was projected to see meaningful starts and playing time.

So, what does this mean for the roster moving forward? There is a chance that Baldwin's absence opens the door further for No. 1 prospect Braden Montgomery. While many have already expected him to make his big league debut in 2026, fewer options for Will Venable could bump up his timeline. With that said, Montgomery did start the year in Double-A, so he's likely going to have to first find his way to Charlotte before GM Chris Getz truly considers that.