Edwin Encarnacion is feeling much better now, and at age 37, he still has some pop in his bat.
There’s always room for more thunder in a lineup, and some example to set for a White Sox team loaded with impressionable young players could go a long way, too.
“It gives us depth. It lengthens an extremely good lineup,” bench coach Joe McEwing said. “It was a good lineup before. It makes it extremely longer.
“And the professionalism, you can’t put a number on it. You can’t put a measure what he means to this ballclub, not just in the clubhouse but on the field.”
The Sox have swung and missed on signing free agent designated hitters — Adam Dunn and Adam LaRoche fell way short of expectations — but kept on swinging with Encarnacion by signing him to a one-year, $10 million deal with a club option in the offseason. Encarnacion has clubbed 30 or more home runs in eight consecutive seasons and nobody has more home runs since 2012. Encarnacion has 297 with the Blue Jays, Indians, Mariners and Yankees, including 34 for the Mariners and Yankees last season.
“When he steps in the box, it’s a presence that the model of consistency in what he has done throughout his career and what he’s capable of doing,” McEwing said. “It means so much to every individual in that locker room and every time we step on the field, it’s a different presence.”
Encarnacion stepped in against left-hander Aaron Bummer, arguably the Sox’ toughest reliever to hit, and clubbed a home run into the third row of the center field seats in the Sox’ first intrasquad game Thursday.
“I’m just glad he’s on our side now,” Bummer said. “And I’m glad that he got one [against me] when it didn’t count. It’s just kind of fun to watch.”
Bummer likes the look of the Sox lineup with Jose Abreu, Encarnacion, Yasmani Grandal and Eloy Jimenez in the middle. And with Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada (when he returns) at the top. And new right fielder Nomar Mazara, acquired in an offseason trade, and rookie Luis Robert probably in the lower third.
“Going out and throwing against your own guys, it’s kind of fun to begin with, just to see that. And then all of a sudden you see the lineup we’re putting out there. I walked in, it was Abreu, Encarnacion, Eloy. It’s not going to stop. I think the depth of that lineup has gotten a whole lot longer, and I’m glad that they’re all on our side.”
When spring training was suspended March 12 because of the coronavirus, Encarnacion was working through a sore hip and back, which he says are fine now.
“The break helped me just to get better from my soreness in the lower back,” Encarnacion said through translator Billy Russo. “I took advantage of [the time off] and I feel very good, strong physically.”
While healing up during the break, Encarnacion teamed with former and current MLB stars to raise more than $1 million to support the Dominican Republic and their country’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic. More than 40 players from the Dominican, including Mazara and Kelvin Herrera from the Sox, contributed and encouraged others to donate funds for life-saving supplies, including ventilators, masks, test kits, disposable suits, hand sanitizer, cleaning items and food. The initiative was created through the Pedro Martinez Foundation.
“This idea comes because in the Dominican every player does something for the city where he is from,” Encarnacion said.
