Aug. 09--When Trayce Thompson arrived safely at first base Friday night at Kauffman Stadium, White Sox first-base coach Daryl Boston had a question for him.
"He asked me if I'm sure that's the ball I want to keep," Thompson said Saturday before the Sox's game against the Royals. "Any hit is a hit. I'll take it, however they come. But it was definitely a relief. I'll save that ball for the rest of my life."
Thompson said it was special to him to share his first major-league hit with Boston, who has helped him during his climb up the minor-league ranks. Thompson followed his soft infield single Friday against the Royals with a more convincing ground-rule double to left field to bring his career numbers at the plate to 2-for-3.
The first at-bat was an "overanxious" strikeout against Rays ace Chris Archer on Tuesday.
Thompson was filling in Friday for center fielder Adam Eaton, who left the game in the fourth inning with a jammed left shoulder. Eaton returned to the lineup Saturday. Thompson returned to the bench, but Sox manager Robin Ventura said he hoped to use him again Sunday against Royals left-hander Danny Duffy.
"He was ready to play, got in, took advantage of it and made the most of the opportunity," Ventura said. "... It's nice to see that reaction from him."
Until his next opportunity, Thompson was fielding a flood of congratulatory texts, the most since his brother, Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson, scored 52 points in a game in January.
"It's just funny that people are now texting me about myself instead of about him," Thompson said.
