BOSTON -- The eight Home Run Derby participants will be announced in the first week of July, and while the Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is known to have already been invited to All-Star festivities, another rookie with home run pop – the White Sox’ Eloy Jimenez – hasn’t got a call.
The Indians’ Carlos Santana has also reportedly received an offer to the competition July 8 in Cleveland, which is offering up a $1 million prize to the winner this year.
Jimenez, whose 12 home runs have averaged 421 feet has not been invited, but he’s not fretting about it.
“The time is going to come,” Jimenez said. “I don’t worry about it. If they ask me it’s OK. If they don’t I’m OK with that, too.”
If not, Jimenez will root for his friend Guerrero.
The 22-year-old signed to a $43 million contract before playing his first game entered the Sox game against the Red Sox Tuesday hitting .324/.393/.635 with six homers in his last 21 games.
He hit a light tower in a minor league home run contest as a prospect with the Cubs in 2017, so there’s that. And while he’s leery of being tempted to “try to pull everything,” Jimenez doesn’t have as many reservations about home run contests as Sox slugger Jose Abreu does.
“They’re good because you put on a show for people,” he said.
McCann vote Wednesday
Voting for All-Star Starters is Wednesday from 11 a.m. to Thursday 3 p.m., with catcher James McCann the only Sox in the final three at his position. Gary Sanchez will be the likely winner, but McCann – second in online voting in the “Primary” phase leading to Wedesday’s final vote – should make the team.
“It’s a dream as a little boy to be a Major League All-Star,” McCann said Tuesday. “I would love to be there. It would be an awesome moment for me and my family and my career. At the same time my focus is today and taking care of what we have to take care of here.”
McCann led the Sox with a .328 average and tops AL catchers in average and on-base (.389) and is second in slugging (.508).
Filling up the rotation
The Sox, who started Carson Fulmer on a bullpen day Tuesday, have three starting pitchers on the force – right-handers Lucas Giolito, Wednesday starter Reynaldo Lopez and Ivan Nova. Dylan Covey is making his first minor league rehab start Wednesday for Charlotte since going on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. Covey will be limited to 50 pitches and probably two or three innings, Renteria said.
Following the off day Thursday, Nova and Giolito will line up Friday and Saturday but a starter is needed Sunday. One potential candidate is left-hander Hector Santiago, signed to a minor league deal last week after being designated for assignment by the Mets. Santiago threw 72 pitches over five innings of one-run ball for Charlotte Tuesday.
The Sox will trudge through this trying situation “without making drastic changes,” Renteria said.
“It’s just where we’re at right now,” he said. “I’m sure other clubs have to deal with things like that at some point in time. It is what it is. These guys are doing the best they can under the circumstances.”
Sanchez unavailable
Yolmer Sanchez was sent back to the team hotel with a high fever and upper and respiratory issues, leaving the Sox a man short. Jose Rondon started at second base for the second night.
