White Sox Place Ryan Noda on IL, Call Up Utility Infielder Tristan Gray from Triple-A

Not-So-Great Noda

The White Sox claimed Noda off waivers from the Boston Red Sox shortly after sending rookie first baseman Tim Elko, who flashed some power but mostly swung like he was auditioning for a windmill, back to Charlotte. Noda, at least, fit the mold of the "new look" Sox offense: guys who occasionally take a walk. 

He didn't do much else, but he did draw two of them in Saturday's win over the Rockies, scoring both times, and both with two outs. 

Tristan Gray, 29, signed a minor-league deal with the Sox this past offseason with a non-roster invite to big league camp before being assigned to Charlotte after Cactus League play. He's spent the entire season with the Knights, posting a .842 OPS over 238 plate appearances in 62 games. 

Originally a 13th-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017, Gray is a career minor leaguer with just 17 MLB games under his belt—15 of which came last season with the Oakland A's.

He's played all over the infield in Charlotte, logging time at second, shortstop, and third base, none of which are currently wide-open doors in Chicago, but when has that ever stopped this team from adding another middle infielder to the logjam?

What's On Tap Next?

Expect Miguel Vargas to get the bulk of the reps at first base. He's shown enough defensively to hold it down, even if the bat hasn't caught up. There's also a chance we see another Lenyn Sosa experiment there, even though those usually go about as smoothly as a tire fire on an ice rink. 

Noda's absence won't be felt in any dramatic way, but adding yet another infielder to the blender doesn't help clarify much. 

With Josh Rojas, Colson Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, and Sosa all vying for time, Gray's presence feels more like a safety net.