Expanding their roster for September, the White Sox have recalled Josh Phegley, Marcus Semien, Jordan Danks, Scott Carroll, Eric Surkamp, Chris Bassitt, and Michael Taylor. When general manager Rick Hahn was asked a few weeks ago about the September call-ups, he said the Sox would add five to eight players. If you include Andy Wilkins and Scott Snodgress, who were called up Sunday, this takes the Sox to nine.
Marcus Semien was called up last September and started this season in Chicago with Gordon Beckham on the DL. He hit .218/.287/.327 during his time here. He was sent to Charlotte after Beckham returned. After a terrible June in Charlotte, Semien came back hitting .304/.419/.565 over July and August. He's also played some left field in Charlotte and can be expected to get some time in the outfield this September.
Josh Phegley was one of the first spring training cuts this season after having a tough time with the Sox last season. He'll be looking to show the staff that he's improved offensively and defensively over last season.
The open spot on the 40-man roster that many assumed was for Carlos Rodon went to outfielder Michael Taylor instead. Taylor was acquired from Oakland in June for minor league pitcher Jake Sanchez. Taylor was once a top-100 prospect in the A's system. Sox hitting coach Todd Steverson is probably very familiar with Taylor in his time as the minor-league hitting coordinator and might have been one of the people behind the deal. Taylor is primarily a corner outfielder and hit .306/.386/.489 in his time at Charlotte this season.
Jordan Danks, Chris Bassitt, Scott Carroll, and Eric Surkamp have been in Chicago in the past couple weeks, and the last three probably never left Chicago this past weekend.
The biggest piece of news is that Carlos Rodon was not called up. A Rodon promotion was starting to look like an inevitability for the Sox, but he wasn't included. Neither was Andre Rienzo. Rodon wouldn't be able to pitch until Sept. 4, and Rienzo just pitched Monday, so the Sox could be waiting until they could actually pitch to add them. Even if Rodon isn't called up, it isn't unheard of for the Sox to have players in Chicago until instructionals to keep working, so we still might see Rodon after all ... just not in games.