MARYVALE, Ariz. — The Andrew Vaughn in left field experiment began Friday, six days before the White Sox, with their depleted outfield, open a season with their highest expectations in recent memory.
A day after it was learned that left fielder Eloy Jimenez — potentially the team’s most potent, powerful bat — would be lost for most or all of the season with a torn pectoral muscle, Vaughn found himself in left field at Maryville Stadium in the Sox’ Cactus League game against the Brewers. Aside from working there at the team’s alternate training site in Schaumburg last summer and taking fly balls during camp, it was Vaughn’s first experience patrolling such a large piece of grass.
But he might be in left when the Sox open the season at Angel Stadium Thursday.
“I really believe based on what I’m going to see the next few days that if he’s the best choice for Opening Day in left field, I’d play him,” manager Tony La Russa said Friday.
Vaughn has not played in the majors, and is batting .269/.377/.462 in Cactus League games. With his polished, professional approach at the plate and good results to boot, Vaughn has been pegged to make his major league debut on Opening Day as the designated hitter. A first baseman who has also taken ground balls at third base, he very well might be the DH. But the Sox are exploring all options because Adam Engel will likely miss at least a couple of weeks with a hamstring strain.
La Russa seems confident Vaughn can handle it, though, predicting he’ll be “above average.”
The Sox would take that in a heartbeat.
“I’ve been watching him in the workouts,” La Russa said.
And he had a good comment, he said “left field, everything that breaks to left, I go get. Anything to left-center, [Luis] Robert’s going to get. I don’t assume anything. I think he’ll be above-average. Because he can concentrate. Infielders are used to jumps. It’s not unique to him or foreign to him. He’ll be fine.”
Zack Collins, a left-handed hitting catcher who is having a good spring, was at DH Friday.
Meanwhile, the Sox are faced with — or should be — decisions on what to do with Jimenez next year. As dangerous as he is as a hitter, he’s become a proven danger to his own health playing left field. Already in his two-year career, Jimenez has sprained an ankle on an outfield wall and hurt his elbow colliding with center fielder Charlie Tilson in center field, whacked his head backing into the wall last season and then the worst one of all Thursday, leaping over the wall on a home run hit well over his head.
He has also tumbled comically into the netting by the side wall, twisted an ankle celebrating Lucas Giolito’s no-hitter last season and missed most of the Wild Card series after spraining his foot running the bases.
The Sox were adamant about giving him the chance to be the left fielder again this season, knowing Vaughn is ready to contribute at DH with reigning MVP Jose Abreu entrenched at first base through at least next season, the final year of his contract.
With Engel in left field and even Leury Garcia, perhaps the leading candidate to open in left, the Sox will be stronger defensively. Because of his bat, and having Gold Glove candidate Luis Robert in center, the Sox can live with Jimenez out there, shortcomings and all. But only if he learn to keep himself out of harm’s way, which hasn’t been able to do.
“At some point in the much distant future, we’ll talk to him and talk through a plan about perhaps making some better decisions or what we are expecting of him going forward from a defensive standpoint,” general manager Rick Hahn said.
