Chicago White Sox Re-Sign First Baseman Tim Elko

Elko is not expected to be ready for the beginning of the 2026 season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee in October. The White Sox announced on Oct. 29 that Elko's estimated recovery time was eight months, putting a potential return to game action in June or July. He also missed close to a month of the 2025 season with a right knee sprain.

The injury makes it difficult for the White Sox to count on Elko for much production at the major league level in 2026, which is part of the reason he's been signed to a minor league contract. It could end up being a season centered around getting healthy and putting together a solid stretch in Triple-A during the latter stages of the year.

The White Sox have a lot of moving parts at first base, though, which may open the door for Elko's return at some point, assuming health. Elko was one of eight players with at least five appearances at first base last season, four of whom are no longer on the roster.

That leaves Miguel Vargas, Lenyn Sosa and Curtis Mead as the top candidates to fill that role in 2026. But a combination of their positional versatility and questions around their offensive production leaves some uncertainty around first base going into 2026, along with the potential for a trade or free agent signing.

If Elko is to be part of that mix, he'll have to carry more of his minor league production over to the big leagues this time around. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound right-hander got off to a scorching hot start with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights in 2025, slashing .348/.431/.670/1.100 with 10 home runs through 130 plate appearances.

That led to his MLB debut on May 10, and he had a few memorable moments with the White Sox. In his second game, Elko hit what turned out to be the game-winning home run against the Marlins, and he homered a few days later at Wrigley Field. Elko also hit a walk-off single in extra innings to defeat the Detroit Tigers on June 5.

But his overall production wasn't enough for the White Sox to give him a long runway in the big leagues, as he played just 23 games and was sent back to Triple-A multiple times. In 23 games and 72 plate appearances with the White Sox, Elko slashed .134/.194/.328/.523 with four home runs, eight RBIs, five walks and 30 strikeouts.