(670 The Score) White Sox slugger Jake Burger is enjoying a breakout season, and perhaps making a case for a place in the team’s long-term plans.
Burger hit a pair of home runs this weekend in Atlanta as the White Sox took two out of three from the MLB-leading Braves. The 27-year-old Burger now has 21 home runs in 76 games this season.
White Sox television analyst Steve Stone sees Burger taking advantage of his opportunity.
“I’m not really surprised because he’s enormously strong,” Stone told the Mully & Haugh Show on Monday morning. “He’s not the player that Luis Robert Jr. is. However, strength-wise, I think he’s the strongest man on the team. There’s no doubt in my mind that when he gets a hold of it, it goes forever. He doesn’t have to hit it on the sweet spot to get it out. So, I'm not surprised in the home run-hitting aspect of it. But he hasn’t embarrassed himself defensively at third base. He’s not going to win any Gold Gloves down there but to keep his bat in the lineup is a good thing. Sometimes when you have an injury to one guy, it opens the door to another. The injury to (Yoan) Moncada opened the door for Jake and Jake is making the most of it.”
Burger is hitting .222 with 21 home runs and 44 RBIs this season. He has primarily played third base for the White Sox since Yoan Moncada (lower back) was placed on the injured list in early June.
The White Sox open a three-game series against the Mets in New York beginning Tuesday night at Citi Field.
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