At long last, White Sox outfielder Adam Engel is headed to a minor league rehab assignment at Class AAA Charlotte this week. After suffering a hamstring strain during spring training, Engel suffered a setback working his way back — sustaining a Grade 3 tear — lengthening his absence at a time the Sox could least afford to have it.
Left fielder Eloy Jimenez suffered a torn pectoral muscle in spring training and center fielder Luis Robert a torn hip flexor earlier this month, and without Engel, their fourth outfielder and a former Gold Glove finalist as a center fielder, the Sox have managed to be in first place in the AL Central despite mix and matching with an outfield group including super utility Leury Garcia, converted first baseman Andrew Vaughn, infielders Jake Lamb and Danny Mendick and veteran Billy Hamilton, who had been let go by the Indians during spring training.
“If you were to tell me that Vaughn, [Garcia] and Lamb are our starting outfield in Game 45, 50, you’d win a lot of money in Vegas,” Sox pitcher Dallas Keuchel said. “But this team doesn’t surprise me, we just keep on chugging.”
Engel should return to the Sox in about a week. His first rehab game will be Tuesday when Charlotte plays at Norfolk.
“The outfield was going to be one of this team’s strengths and a really steady part of the production aspect of this club, not only from the defensive standpoint, but obviously offensively,” Engel said. “Having lost three outfielders, essentially, that’s tough. It’s been tough to sit by and not be able to do my job.”
Manager Tony La Russa said Engel will be a boost defensively and offensively, but “how often he plays, we’re going to watch it carefully day to day.”
Outfield flip flop
Right fielder Adam Eaton started in the more spacious left field in the series finale at Yankee Stadium, with Lamb playing right field for the first time in his career. Lamb, a corner infielder by trade, has played seven career games in left field, all this season.
Eaton began preparing for the switch Friday.
“If you look at the way the stadium is configured, left field is the real challenge, more so than center, certainly than right,” La Russa said.
After Vaughn pinch hit for Eaton and homered, he finished the game in right field, moving Mendick to left.
La Russa, Cardinals reunion
La Russa will face the team he last managed — in 2011 — when the Sox host the Cardinals for three games starting Monday.
“Recognize the birds on the bat,” La Russa said before the game Sunday. “I don’t mean this disrespectfully, but once you prepare for the game, once you play the game, you’ve got to tune out the distraction. It’s a good distraction, but you’ve got to tune it out. I’m sure they will, too.”
La Russa managed 16 seasons in St. Louis, winning the World Series in 2006 and ‘11.
Reunion II
Lucas Giolito will oppose Harvard-Westlake (Calif.) High School teammate Jack Flaherty when the Sox host the Cardinals Tuesday. Sox pitching coach Ethan Katz coached was their coach at in high school.
