CHICAGO (AP) — Despite a sluggish start to the season, the Chicago White Sox remain committed to first baseman Andrew Vaughn — at least for now.

Vaughn, 27, is hitting just .160 after going 1-for-4 with a single and two strikeouts in Tuesday’s 7-2 loss to the Brewers. Over his last 12 games, he's tallied only two extra-base hits, raising questions about his performance and long-term role.

Meanwhile, Tim Elko, a 26-year-old first baseman currently playing for Triple-A Charlotte, is making a strong case for a call-up. Elko is off to a red-hot start, slashing .356 with nine home runs and 20 RBIs in just 24 games.

Still, the White Sox front office is showing patience.
“We’re more focused on supporting Andrew right now,” said GM Chris Getz prior to Tuesday’s game. “He’s been one of the more unlucky hitters in baseball. I know he wants greater results for the White Sox and for himself. And we expect more out of him.”

Chicago drafted Vaughn third overall in the 2019 MLB Draft, and he remains a key part of the team's rebuild. He hit .246 with 19 homers and 70 RBIs in 149 games last season.

Despite the poor results so far, advanced metrics suggest better days could be ahead. Entering the series against Milwaukee, Vaughn had a .243 expected batting average and was averaging 91.6 mph in exit velocity — numbers that hint at bad luck more than poor contact.

Whether that faith continues will likely depend on how soon those underlying metrics start to show up in the box score.

White Sox Jerseys