Shortstop Tim Anderson was activated from the 10-day injured list and returned to the White Sox lineup for their game Tuesday night against the Tigers in Detroit.
Anderson was on the IL for 10 days with a groin strain, an injury he suffered when he got his feet tangled up fielding a ground ball in a game against the Royals. Just as Anderson returned, however, the Sox placed Leury Garcia on the injured list with a sprained left thumb.
Garcia, who plays multiple positions, had filled in for Anderson at shortstop. He sprained the thumb making a questionable head-first slide into first base beating out an infield single in the Sox’ 5-1 loss to the Tigers Monday.
The loss was the Sox’ fifth in their last six games, and veteran left-hander Dallas Keuchel called his teammates out for “going through the motions” after Monday’s loss. Anderson, who expects to bring his usual energetic style of play to the field, said he had no problem with Keuchel’s comments.
“Somebody had to say it,” Anderson said.
The Sox (8-9) have scored 14 runs in their last seven games and are 4-for-47 with runners in scoring position over the last eight games.
“We just have to motivate ourselves, find that thing to get us going, whether it’s music or something else,” Anderson said. “We have to find some kind of rhythm and just be loose. Hopefully I can bring that back and get guys comfortable and set the tone, bring the energy back a little bit.”
Garcia’s injury is the latest in an unwelcome growing list for the Sox. He is batting .271 with three homers, eight RBI, four walks and six runs scored in 16 games this season. Garcia has made nine starts at shortstop, five at second base and one in right field.
Currently the Sox have pitchers Carlos Rodon, Reynaldo Lopez, Aaron Bummer and Jimmy Lambert (45-day) on injured lists). Second baseman Nick Madrigal is on the IL and Edwin Encarnacion — who returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing six starts — and Eloy Jimenez have missed multiple games.
Anderson won the AL batting title last year, so his return might give the offense an injection of needed production.
