Tim Anderson wants to change the game, so it came as no surprise to hear the White Sox shortstop scoff at the notion Fernando Tatis Jr. broke an unwritten rule by swinging at a 3-0 pitch with the bases loaded during a blowout victory.
Tatis, the 21-year-old Padres shortstop who leads the majors in homers, hit a grand slam against the Rangers’ Juan Nicasio that angered the Rangers and led to disapproving Rangers manager Chris Woodward citing the “unwritten rules” of baseball “that are constantly being challenged in today’s game.”
Woodward took issue with the Padres, leading 10-3 in the eighth inning at the time, for piling on by swinging at a pitch that is often taken. It falls under the umbrella of other unwritten rules such as not stealing bases with a big lead.
“I don’t really care about that,” Anderson said Tuesday. “I don’t care about what other people say about the rules because they’re unwritten.
“What he did, I liked it. But he shouldn’t have apologized. Apologize for what? There was no need for that. You hit a grand slam, what are you apologizing for?”
After the homer, Nicasio was replaced by Ian Gibaut, who threw a 93 mph fastball behind Manny Machado.
Tatis apparently missed a take sign before the pitch and was apologetic. His manager, Jayce Tingler, offered no support.
“I’ve been in this game since I was a kid, and I know a lot of unwritten rules,” Tatis said. “And this time, I was kind of lost on this one. From those experiences, you have to learn. Probably next time, I’ll take a pitch.”
Tatis said he wants the game to be fun, which is what Anderson has been preaching for a couple of years now.
“It’s just really an open floor. It’s a wide open gym, man,” Anderson said. “Anybody can do anything. Just bring a lot of excitement, man. I think the game is, like I said, a bore. It is boring. To see things like that definitely makes it exciting.
“Who would have thought he was going to hit a home run 3-0 with the bases loaded? Nobody. So I think that’s why everybody’s acting weird about it. And the game wasn’t over.”
Grandal out a few days
Manager Rick Renteria said he hopes to have catcher Yasmani Grandal, who left Monday’s 7-2 win over the Tigers with back stiffness, playing “by the end of the week.”
“He’s doing better today,” Renteria said. “He’s walking around better today. Hopefully it’s not long. I don’t think this is going to be a protracted stint of not playing. Hopefully before the end of the week he’s back in there again.”
James McCann, an All-Star in 2019, will likely handle most of the duty with Zack Collins backing up.
Dunning for Wednesday?
General manager Rick Hahn hinted rather strongly that prospect Dane Dunning would start Wednesday against Tigers top pitching prospect Casey Mize, but Renteria declined to make it official. Both would be making their debuts.
As for Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder), who is working his way back from a sore shoulder at Schaumburg, “if and when he returns he will still be very limited” Renteria said.
