Friday night was the first of two straight dates the White Sox are handing out Tim Anderson bobbleheads. Depicting a bat flip, Anderson said the finished product turned out “great.”
“I’m very pleased with it,” Anderson said. “It shows exactly what I’m doing and what I did. I’m definitely happy with it.”
Perhaps of more concern to the Sox is that he was back in the lineup after missing two games with a sore left thumb.
Anderson said after two days to reset during a busy stretch for the Sox, he was ready to play. He said that sometimes it’s good to just watch the game, but his energy and spirit were back up.
The left thumb soreness bothered Anderson when he tried to grip the bat.
“I couldn’t really get that feeling,” Anderson said. “Those two days of rest and our training staff did a great job getting treatment. Those two days definitely helped me and I feel like I’m back in the spot where I need to be.”
Vaughn’s move up
Yoan Moncada (rest) was not in the lineup manager Tony La Russa put together for Friday’s game. Needing a No. 3 hitter, La Russa had Andrew Vaughn in that spot for the first time.
If they had played Friday, Vaughn would’ve become the fourth Sox player to hit in that slot this year, joining Moncada, Jose Abreu and Luis Robert. Entering Friday, Moncada had started every game there since April 20.
Vaughn hasn’t hit higher than fifth, and has had most of his starts in the seventh position (15).
“You try to keep as many guys in the spots that they’ve been,” La Russa said. “Andrew’s bounced around between fifth, sixth, seventh and the third spot was open. He’s swinging well.”
Vaughn is indeed swinging well.
Entering Friday, Vaughn was 6 for 16 with two home runs over his last five games.
“He’s not afraid, which is good,” La Russa said. “Loves the challenge.”
Adam Eaton (right hamstring tightness) also wasn’t in the lineup, with Jake Lamb taking his place in right field and batting sixth.
Kopech update
Pitcher Michael Kopech remains away from the team on bereavement leave, but La Russa said he exchanged texts with the hard-throwing righthander. La Russa reported that Kopech (left hamstring soreness) said his leg is feeling better.
The Sox, La Russa said, will have a better idea of how Kopech is doing when he returns to the team Sunday.
There is one thing La Russa is sure of: that Kopech won’t start one of the games of Monday’s doubleheader against Cleveland.
