In Like a Lamb

Jake Lamb to the White Sox is official.

In the process, the last question on the pitching side may be solved.

The White Sox officially added the 30-year-old backup third baseman/first baseman/designated hitter on Tuesday, designating recent waiver pickup Nik Turley to make room on the 40-man roster.

Turley had been considered a shoo-in for 13th man on the pitching staff, given his live arm and Harvard Westlake pedigree. But after just one appearance (two walks), Turley got his walking papers, apparently ceding the final pen spot to José Ruiz.

But who knows, with late spring decisions like the one that finds Lamb on the team on a major league contract (which would indicate, say, a term in Schaumburg once Adam Engel is healthy will not be happening), perhaps Tony La Russa is good to roll with just 12 pitchers. Or the White Sox are bringing back Daniel Palka next.

It’s anyone’s guess!

But the White Sox have backup third base absolutely covered with this recent inking, as even the White Sox press release seems a bit incredulous that Turley was cut loose so quickly (emphasis added):

Turley, 31, made just one Cactus League appearance with the White Sox after being claimed off waivers from Oakland on March 21.

Perhaps this is a masterstroke by Rick Hahn, having sniffed out teams likely to claim Turley and determining he can use this moment of roster chaos in the major to smuggle the southpaw to Schaumburg, where he can remake his delivery and start throwing strikes. But on the face of it, it seems the White Sox are highly unlikely to be able to retain Turley, who is out of options.