White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson landed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a strained left hamstring. Infielder Danny Mendick was recalled from Schaumburg to fill Anderson’s spot on the roster and was in the lineup for the Sox’ game against the Mariners Wednesday afternoon (3:10 p.m., NBC Sports Chicago).
The move is retroactive to April 5, a day after Anderson pulled up lame running out a ground ball in the first inning against the Angels in Anaheim.
Sox manager Tony La Russa and Anderson expressed hope in recent days that Anderson would be ready for the home opener against the Royals on Thursday, but on Wednesday La Russa said “it wasn’t going to be realistic.”
La Russa said the hamstring has improved and Monday looked like a realistic return day but it wasn’t worth pushing, especially this early in the season and with potentially dicey weather conditions on the upcoming first home stand.
“Put everything together and we’ve got five months plus to play,” La Russa said. “We’re very confident when the [IL] period is ready next Thursday he’ll be ready to go.”
“I don’t want to go on the [injured list], nobody does,” Anderson said Monday. “I’m trying to avoid that but being smart. If I need to I’m open for it even though I don’t want to. Try to get healthy and play it smart.”
Leury Garcia has been filling in for Anderson at shortstop. Anderson led the majors with a .335 batting average in 2019 and followed that by winning the Silver Slugger Award for AL shortstops during the abbreviated 60-game season in 2020.
“You can’t replicate him,” La Russa said. “He’s one of the best players in the game.”
Anderson will be eligible to return April 15. He joins outfielders Eloy Jimenez (torn pectoral muscle) and Adam Engel (hamstring) on the IL.
Wednesday’s lineup:
Eaton rf
Lamb 3b
Abreu 1b
Grandal c
Collins dh
Robert cf
Madrigal 2b
Hamilton lf
Mendick ss
Keuchel p
