Mike Tauchman is set to undergo surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee, raising the question of whether he will put on a White Sox uniform again.

Tauchman played his final game of the season on September 20, in a 7-3 loss to the Padres. It’s still unclear when the injury occurred, though Tauchman went 1-for-4 at the plate and made a leaping catch into the netting down the right-field line to record the final out of the sixth inning.

The procedure is similar to the one former White Sox outfielder Austin Slater, who also suffered a meniscus tear, and underwent surgery in mid-April. Slater returned to the White Sox lineup a month later, meaning Tauchman should not have any significant setbacks this offseason.

The White Sox signed the 34-year-old outfielder to a one-year deal worth $1.95 million. Chris Getz certainly got his money’s worth. Tauchman slashed .263/.356/.400 with eight homers and 39 RBIs across 93 games. He also posted the second-highest WRC+ of his career with a 115 mark, 15% better than league average at the plate.

The Bradley alumnus and Palatine native was signed to help improve the White Sox plate discipline and provide a veteran presence. He checked both boxes.

Tauchman posted an 11.2% walk rate, which ranks in the MLB’s 80th percentile, while also owning a 24.1% chase rate that ranks in the top 26 percent of all MLB hitters. That, combined with solid defense, was worth 1.4 wins above replacement.

Tauchman also led by example with his professionalism and effort throughout the season.

Examples include hitting a walk-off in extra innings on July 11th to help the White Sox beat the Guardians, then robbing Giancarlo Stanton of a two-run homer on August 31st, which turned out to be a pivot play in the White Sox eventual 3-2 victory.

But despite spending much of the season in a platoon role, Tauchman was hampered by injuries. On March 27th, he landed on the 10-day IL with a right hamstring strain. In April, he reinjured the same hamstring in a 3-2 loss at Cleveland, pulling up lame while attempting to score the tying run before being tagged out at the plate. That resulted in another lengthy IL stint that kept him out of the lineup until late May.

Tauchman provides plenty of value for a young White Sox roster. He has been a solid role player for contending teams before, works good at-bats, and provides reliable outfield defense. He was also nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award for his outstanding community involvement, philanthropy, and strong character on and off the field.

With Braden Montgomery being at least a year away from being MLB-ready, the White Sox will have a hole in right field that Tuachman could fill. Getz has also made it clear that he plans to pick up Luis Robert Jr.’s $20 million club option, which could limit some of the other moves he makes in free agency.

Tauchman is arbitration-eligible and will likely see a raise from the $1.95 million he made this season. Still, Getz could choose to leave that right field spot open for some of the organization’s younger players, especially given it’s unlikely he will be able to move Andrew Benintendi and his $73 million contract.

Given the current options—Will Robertson, Dominic Fletcher, Corey Julks, and Brooks Baldwin—bringing Tauchman back appears to be the most practical solution. Outside of Baldwin, none project as long-term fits with the club. And while Baldwin shows promise, he profiles more as a traditional infielder who may be better suited to a utility, Swiss Army knife-type role.

Given his age and injury concerns, Tauchman does not have to be a long-term investment. But bringing him back for another season seems like a worthy investment as a player who can help win games and continue to set a good example for the team’s young core.