White Sox second baseman Nick Madrigal is headed to the 10-day injured list with a separated left shoulder, general manager Rick Hahn said Wednesday.
Madrigal injured the shoulder on a slide into third base at Milwaukee Tuesday night. Hahn was optimistic that the injury is not season-ending but said surgery in the offseason is a possibility.
Hahn said designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, who left Tuesday’s game as well, is day to day with inflammation on the SC joint near his left shoulder. Danny Mendick started at second base against the Brewers Wednesday and Yasmani Grandal was the DH with James McCann, who caught Dallas Keuchel’s first two starts, behind the plate.
Madrigal joins a rash of Sox on the injured list, including left-hander Carlos Rodon (shoulder soreness) who landed there Tuesday, although Rodon could rejoin the team in a few weeks, Hahn said.
Hahn also said shortstop Tim Anderson (groin strain) is progressing and will work with the taxi squad starting Thursday in advance of a return to the team. Anderson won’t be eligible to come off the IL until after the weekend series against the Indians.
Robert near the top, Sox on top
Through Tuesday, Luis Robert (1.0) ranked second in FanGraphs wins above replacement behind Mike Yastrzemski (1.1). Nick Castellanos (0.9), Trent Grisham (0.9), Aaron Judge (0.8) Carlos Correra (0.8), Fernando Tatis Jr. (0.8) and Nelson Cruz (0.8) round out the top 10. Six players were at 0.7, including Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada.
The Sox ranked first overall in offense, leading the majors in batting average (.284) and ranking fourth in on-base percentage (.384) and slugging (.454). They were 16th overall in defense and 21st in ultimate zone rating. They had committed three errors, two by shortstop Tim Anderson and one on a James McCann dropped third strike.
Filling Rodon’s spot
Saturday’s starter is TBD, and indications from general manager Rick Hahn is that prospect Dane Dunning, who is at Schaumburg, won’t be the one. Dunning, who is coming off Tommy John surgery, doesn’t have enough innings under his belt to warrant a start just yet, Hahn said.
Ross Detwiler appears likely to remain in the bullpen where he had been unscored on through Tuesday, although the Sox aren’t ruling out using an opener, or a bullpen day Saturday. In that event, Detwiler could be first.
“We’ve got a couple of days to kind of organize what we need to do for that day and the coming starts,” manager Rick Renteria said. “The usage prior to those games when we might end up using multiple guys will be very important. We’ll see where we’re at and the type of outings we get from our starters in the coming days.”
Top prospects
MLB Pipeline’s latest rankings of prospects has Robert as No. 3 behind Rays shortstop Wander Franco and Dodgers middle infielder Gavin Lux.
The Sox’ top 10: 1. Robert, 2. Andrew Vaughn, 1B; 3. Michael Kopech, RHP; 4. Nick Madrigal, 2B; 5. Garret Crochet, LHP; 6. Jared Kelley, RHP; 7. Jonathan Stiever, RHP; 8. Dane Dunning, RHP; 9. Matthew Thompson, RHP; 10. Micker Adolfo, OF.
The quote
Leury Garcia, on center fielder Luis Robert stepping in front of him to catch a routine fly in Cleveland last week: “He took a fly ball from me the other day, and I told him, ‘Next time, I will punch you.’ But he’s a great guy. It’s a lot of fun watching Robert play the outfield. It’s unbelievable, this guy.”
Garcia laughed after the play.
