CHICAGO -- Getting called into manager Will Venable’s office doesn’t always mean good things to follow for a White Sox player. Not when general manager Chris Getz and assistant general manager Jin Wong also were awaiting your arrival. So, when this situation happened to Mike Vasil recently, the right-hander’s uneasiness was more than understandable. “The way it was done was pretty funny. You’ll see in the video the way it was done,” a smiling Vasil told MLB.com. “For some reason, I thought I was in trouble originally. “Then I thought there was no more wand,” Vasil added. “Now there’s 20,000 more [wands] coming to the field.” |
So, what exactly transpired in this seminal White Sox meeting? Getz began the talk by sandbagging Vasil into believing there was an issue with Vasil’s now-famous dugout wizard wand and said the issue was coming from the Commissioner’s Office. If Getz is half as convincing during upcoming trade talks as he was with Vasil, the White Sox should be in good position by the Aug. 3 Deadline. But back to the story. Just as Vasil seemed completely confused, third-base coach Justin Jirschele emerged from the adjacent office and told the right-hander of the planned upcoming wand giveaway at Rate Field. The first 20,000 fans in attendance on Friday, Sept. 4, during a contest against the Twins with a 6:40 p.m. CT first pitch, will receive these Vasil wands. “Congratulations on your first promotion,” Jirschele told Vasil in the video. “I’m going to be the Harry Potter of the big leagues,” Vasil added in mid-celebration. Much has been written about Vasil’s contributions to the American League Central-leading White Sox. He might become the first player to receive a Most Valuable Player vote without playing a single inning. Vasil, 26, underwent Tommy John surgery back in Spring Training. But he wanted to be part of this special group during rehab work, and the team wanted him around -- from Venable to the coaches to his fellow players. Then, fellow reliever Jordan Leasure purchased a $20 wand from Amazon and had it overnighted to Rate Field. Vasil took possession of the wand on April 27, with the White Sox sweeping the Angels at home, and the rest truly is history. Leasure considers himself Vasil’s prop guy, dating back to the 2025 season, when Vasil posted a 2.50 ERA over 101 innings (47 games) in his first season on the South Side. |
“I bought him the Batman mask last year,” a smiling Leasure told MLB.com. “That didn’t turn out to be that big. Some people saw it. I had no idea this wand would become a centerpoint for our team. I’m going to have to get one.” “By no means did I ever think that I would have a 20,000-wand giveaway,” Vasil said. “Literally, I couldn’t even fathom that’s what this year would hold. Now, we are here and it’s happening.” There’s more to Vasil’s sorcery than simply the wand. He also puts on a wizard’s hat in the White Sox dugout whenever one of his teammates hits a home run. This entire process produces an image Vasil has talked about previously with MLB.com. Imagine the first home game of the first White Sox playoff series since 2021. The stadium is packed and every fan is waving their Vasil wand at crucial moments of the contest. Wands will be there. The rest is now up to the White Sox. |
“So, I talked to my close buddy about that,” Vasil said. “He said if he showed up and the entire stadium was dressed in wizard hats, he thinks he would have a panic attack, knowing me so well. I -- more than anything -- want rowdy, exciting fans for playoff baseball.” After finding out about the Tommy John surgery, teammates who already had gone through the process recommended Vasil find a way to distract himself. Some of them took up hiking. Some of them moved to video games. Working as a television analyst for CHSN on a Friday night All-Access broadcast was one way for Vasil. He also was the clubhouse emcee for all three White Sox All-Star announcements. Nothing tops Vasil’s foray into baseball wizardry. But does this wand have actual power? Vasil and Leasure provided their viewpoints. “Within itself, maybe not the actual wand,” Vasil said. “But I do think there have been times where guys have been like, ‘Hey Mike. We need to score some runs.’ With the responsibility of being the wizard, there’s definitely some belief that me standing in the dugout brings runs, yes.” “It’s a piece of plastic,” said Leasure with a wry smile. “But what it symbolizes has magical powers.” |
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
|
|
• José Abreu was in attendance at Rate Field this past weekend, watching his two Major League teams, the White Sox and Astros, doing battle. Abreu is one of the best players in White Sox history and a truly enjoyable player to cover. It was great getting to see him and his family, with Abreu making a cordial stop at the pressbox later in the game on Saturday. • Jon Garland, another talented White Sox player and all-around good guy, also was in attendance Saturday. He’ll be back for Ozzie Guillen’s jersey No. 13 retirement ceremony on Aug. 8. Whenever I see Garland, I always think of the four straight complete games thrown by the 2005 White Sox during the American League Championship Series. That feat will never be accomplished again, in the regular season or postseason. • Driving in downtown Chicago seems to get worse every summer, or every week. On Friday night, after a concert at Soldier Field, I had the pleasure of maneuvering around cars temporarily parked in the right lane of Lake Shore Drive to pick up show goers. Don’t do that. Also, if the light is green, drive your car. |
“I’m not up there thinking just because of a lefty, it’s a mismatch. In my eyes, I think it’s a mismatch for them as the pitcher. I’m confident in myself I’ll be able to handle that because I feel like that’s what I’ve shown.” -- Left-handed-hitting shortstop Colson Montgomery, who is hitting .271 over 131 plate appearances against southpaws, with eight home runs and an .894 OPS. “I had the same kind of role back in Japan as well. So, I do know what it takes.” -- First baseman Munetaka Murakami, through interpreter Kenzo Yagi, on balancing being a star and just one of the guys as a rookie. |
|
|
FORWARDED FROM A FRIEND? SUBSCRIBE NOW |
To subscribe to White Sox Beat, visit this page and mark "White Sox Beat" from our newsletter list. Make sure you're following the White Sox or that they're checked as your favorite team. |
|
|
|
