After starting the season 1-for-35 with the White Sox, Daniel Palka is doing his damndest to get a second crack with the club.
The International League named Palka its Hitter of the Week after he went 9-for-20 with three homers from May 13-20. The surge has raised his line to .311/.461/.644, with nine homers, 20 RBIs and 25 walks over just 25 games.
It's hard to know how much to make of Palka's hot streak, because as we've stressed, the switch to the major league ball is creating an insane offensive environment in Triple-A, and Charlotte more than most. Matt Skole also has a four-digit OPS while Zack Collins and Nicky Delmonico cleared .900 OPSes with room to spare.
The Sox have tested a couple of those uncharacteristically strong Charlotte performances, and the early returns are mixed. Delmonico hit .206/.265/.286 with 25 strikeouts over 68 plate appearances in between Eloy Jiménez's absences, so his resurgence with the Knights didn't translate. Charlie Tilson, who fought his way back onto the 40-man by hitting .333 with 10 extra-base hits in 25 games, is showing more fight in his second crack at extended playing time in Chicago. Hes batting .327/.365/.367 over his first 14 games back, although 15 strikeouts makes him more reliant on luck than he'd care to be.
Palka should get another look in Chicago as soon as injury allows (a Yonder Alonso DFA is unreasonable this soon). There's a chance he's a AAAA player, but the major uptick in walks confirms he's overqualified for the first three of those A's.
Mississippi 6, Birmingham 2
- Luis Robert went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Luis Basabe had all the Barons' hits with a 2-for-4 night. He was picked off/caught stealing.
- Luis Gonzalez went 0-for-4.
- Gavin Sheets was 0-for-2 with a walk.
- Blake Rutherford, 0-for-3.
- Ti'Quan Forbes went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Kodi Medeiros: 4 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 1 HR
Winston-Salem 6, Fayetteville 2
- Nick Madrigal went 2-for-5 with a double.
- Steele Walker, 1-for-5 with two strikeouts and a stolen base.
- Carlos Perez was 0-for-5.
Delmarva 4, Kannapolis 3
- Lenyn Sosa went 1-for-5 with a double and a strikeout.
- Romy Gonzalez was 1-for-3 with an HBP.
- Luis Curbelo, 1-for-3 with a double, HBP and a strikeout.
- Jhoandro Alfaro was 0-for-4 with a strikeout.
- Amado Nunez, 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
