CHICAGO -- General manager Rick Hahn said it's too soon to write off the struggling Chicago White Sox.
Hahn insisted they "still have high hopes" and that the "arrow is pointing up" even though the team has not performed the way he envisioned.
A busy winter raised expectations after back-to-back losing seasons. But the White Sox are not delivering.
They entered Friday's game against the Detroit Tigers fifth in the AL Central at 24-28, 7 1/2 games behind division leader Minnesota and 3 1/2 out of a wild card spot.
Even so, Hahn said he is inclined "100 percent" to try to add players rather than go into a selling mode. But he acknowledged the team has to start clicking soon.
"There's no magic date," Hahn said. "There's no time where we have to declare our intentions for the season. Obviously, as you get closer to July 31 (the non-waiver trade deadline), you have some priorities that you have to put in order -- whether it's the current season and feeding what you're doing right now versus reshaping for the future. As we sit here today, our hope continues to be that we're in a position to add and have reinforcements come here to contribute to a championship run."
The White Sox entered Friday's game last in the AL in runs scored and homers. Chicago ranks 26th in the majors in on-base percentage and 23rd in field percentage.
High-profile offseason acquisitions such as slugger Adam LaRoche (.237 batting average, six homers, 22 RBI), outfielder Melky Cabrera (.235) and starter Jeff Samardzija (4-3, 4.68 ERA) have not delivered the way the White Sox envisioned. Adam Eaton has also struggled at the top of the order with a .239 average and .299 on-base percentage.
"We have to be nimble enough that if things don't quite go the way we hope, and we don't put ourselves right back in the thick of this thing, that we may have to adjust and go the other direction," Hahn said. "But our intent is absolutely to look to add when the time comes. And our hope is to add when the time comes."