Top 10 White Sox plays of the 2010s

CHICAGO -- The White Sox picked up four Rawlings Gold Gloves over the past decade, with two going to Mark Buehrle (2010-11) and one apiece being awarded to Jake Peavy (2012) and Yolmer Sanchez (2019).

But there were other outstanding defensive plays from the South Siders even if those individuals weren’t recognized with a top postseason honor. Here’s a look at the Top 10 Defensive Plays for the White Sox from the last decade.

1) Buehrle, Konerko work magic
April 5, 2010

Paul Konerko humorously refers to this play as his barehand grab at first. But that specific component represents the final part of arguably one of the top defensive plays of the decade overall, let alone for the White Sox. In the top of the fith inning during the first White Sox game of the decade, Cleveland’s Lou Marson hit a hard one-hopper off of Buehrle’s left foot which ricocheted toward the first-base foul line. Buehrle raced over and flipped the ball on the run with his glove in between his legs, with Konerko grabbing the perfect toss for the out. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski, trailing the play, pumped his fist in appreciation of the four-time Gold Glove winner.

2) Engel has a week
Aug. 12, 2018

Adam Engel pulled off three of the same spectacular plays in one week, so let’s roll them into one tremendous moment. Engel took home runs away from Greg Bird and Kyle Higashioka of the Yankees and did the same to Yonder Alonso in the ensuing series with the Indians to complete the trifecta. All three plays had Engel leaping above the fence to make the grabs, with Alonso being the most impressive based on the most ground to cover in right-center.

3) Avi gets a save
July 4, 2015

The White Sox were clinging to a 3-2 lead when Chris Davis launched what looked to be the game-tying homer against closer David Robertson with one out in the ninth. Right fielder Avisaíl García raced back to the wall and followed with a no-look leap to grab the ball over the fence and preserve the victory.

4) The unconventional triple play
April 22, 2016

This play was bizarre enough for the White Sox to frame a diagram of what went down and hang it in the Guaranteed Rate Field press box. It began with the bases loaded and Mitch Moreland lining a Jose Quintana pitch caught by Adam Eaton in right. Eaton threw the ball to first baseman Jose Abreu, who tagged Ian Desmond trying to get back to the base for the second out. Abreu then threw home to catcher Dioner Navarro when noticing two Texas runners at third. Navarro threw to shortstop Tyler Saladino, who ran Adrian Beltre back to third base and then threw back to Navarro, who got Prince Fielder in a rundown between third and home before he eventually was tagged out by third baseman Todd Frazier. It was your basic 9-3-2-6-2-5 triple play.

5) Engel HR robbery
Aug. 8, 2017

Engel’s over-the-fence heroics actually took root against the Astros. With the White Sox leading, 6-3, in the top of the fourth, Engel ran down a Brian McCann drive to right-center, stretched over the fence and pulled back the would-be home run.

6) Lillibridge saves Santos
April 26, 2011

Konerko’s two-run home run off of Rafael Soriano in the eighth gave the White Sox a 3-2 lead, but it was Brent Lillibridge who saved this game for closer Sergio Santos. With two on and one out in the ninth, Lillibridge made a running catch against the right-field wall to take extra bases away from Alex Rodriguez. That play became the opener for his game-ending, diving catch to take the game-winning hit away from Robinson Cano. Lillibridge pinch-ran for Carlos Quentin and scored on Konerko’s homer in the eighth.

7) Sanchez, Anderson go 4-6-3
Sept. 24, 2019

Shortstop Tim Anderson and Yolmer Sánchez at second had talked about making this play together since Spring Training, but never had a chance until late in this last season. Franmil Reyes opened the seventh by hitting a grounder to the shortstop side of second, which Sanchez gloved out of the shift. Sanchez’s momentum took him away from first base, so he flipped the ball to Anderson with his glove, and Anderson made the throw to nail Reyes.

8) Around the horn for three
May 22, 2019

There’s something about a fast Houston runner at the plate and runners on first and second with nobody out that ignites the White Sox defense. In this case, it was Jake Marisnick who hit into the around-the-horn triple play with third baseman Yoán Moncada fielding the ball on the base and Sanchez’s relay barely beating Marisnick. The White Sox turned the same play against George Springer in 2016, marking their second triple play of that season.

9) Moncada goes back to back
July 29, 2017

Moncada has found a home at third base, but both of these plays came while he was still stationed at second. Moncada took a single away from Erik Gonzalez by ranging almost to shortstop to field his grounder and then throw across his body to get him. Moncada then took a hit away from the fleet-footed Bradley Zimmer, grabbing his drag bunt attempt and flipping to Abreu with his glove in one motion as if he was throwing the ball, with Abreu stretching to grab the one-hop throw.

10) Leury preserves the shutout
July 21, 2018

The night in Seattle actually belonged to Dylan Covey, who allowed two hits and two walks over 8 1/3 shutout innings. But it was Leury García who preserved the shutout by leaping above the left-field wall to deny a Mitch Haniger home run attempt off of Joakim Soria.