For the first time since 2019, Chicago White Sox shortstop Elvis Andrus is posting an OPS over .700.
A member of the Oakland Athletics for much of the season, he was let go by the team just in time before they had to guarantee his 2023 stay with them.
The White Sox took a chance on him, and he has become the perfect Tim Anderson replacement for the pale hose.
In fact, if we just count his stats with the White Sox, he has been even better than TA7.
“White Sox shortstops this season: Elvis Andrus: 25 games, 6 HR, 21 RBI. Tim Anderson: 79 games, 6 HR, 25 RBI,” NBC Sports Chicago’s Christopher Kamka tweeted.
White Sox shortstops this season
Elvis Andrus: 25 games, 6 HR, 21 RBI
Tim Anderson: 79 games, 6 HR, 25 RBI— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) September 15, 2022
In 25 games with the White Sox uniform, the seemingly finished Andrus found new life and is hitting .308/.351/.538 with six doubles, six home runs, and a .889 OPS.
This is an impressive, and above all things, thoroughly unexpected performance.
An Important Surge
Andrus has 14 home runs if we combine his A’s and White Sox stats.
He hadn’t hit that many since 2017, when he reached 20 for the first (and only) time in his career.
The 34-year-old Andrus is showing that he is more than just a defensive asset.
He is also white hot: during his last seven games, he is batting .367/.424/.733 with three round-trippers.
It looks like being in the middle of a playoff run completely revitalized him.
While Chicago is currently out of the playoffs, they remain just three games behind the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians.
Having Andrus playing at such a high level has the White Sox thinking about keeping him as the starting shortstop and sending Anderson to another infield position should his return materialize in the upcoming days.
If somebody moves, it’ll likely be Andrus, but Chicago currently needs his bat in the lineup.
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