ARLINGTON, Texas — White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson began serving a two-game suspension Sunday for bumping an umpire on July 29.
Infielder Lenyn Sosa was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte to serve as middle infield depth behind Leury Garcia and Josh Harrison. Garcia played shortstop Sunday when the Sox completed a four-game series against the Rangers. Lefty reliever Tanner Banks was optioned to Charlotte.
Anderson was suspended three games by Major League Baseball for making contact with umpire Nick Mahrley in a game against the Athletics. Anderson, who was also fined, appealed and his penalty reduced to two games. He will also sit out Game 1 of a doubleheader Tuesday in Kansas City.
Anderson hasn’t discussed the run-in with Mahrley or the suspension and declined to talk about it with reporters again Sunday. It’s the third time in four seasons Anderson was suspended and the second time in less than a season for making contact with an umpire.
As it turned out, a couple of days off might be good for the two-time All-Star who has struggled since the All-Star break and is 0-for-13 with six strikeouts in the series against the Rangers.
“He’s a little frustrated,” manager Tony La Russa said. “Swing big, try to punch it. He’s in between. It happens to everybody.”
The Sox complete a four-game series in Texas Sunday and have an off day Monday before a four-game series in Kansas City.
Anderson was penalized for his actions after he was ejected in a Sox loss to the Athletics. He objected to a strike call on the first pitch of an at-bat, and the bill of Anderson’s helmet struck Mahrley’s cap.
Sosa, 22, was with the Sox from June 23-27, going 1-for-12 with a double and two runs scored in four games. He has combined to hit .316/.367/.512 with 16 home runs over 85 games this season with Double-A Birmingham and Charlotte.
Banks, a 30-year-old rookie, is 1-0 with a 3.16 ERA in 29 appearances. Before the Sox traded for Jake Diekman Monday, Banks was the only lefty on the pitching staff. He pitched two innings of relief in an 8-0 loss to the Rangers.
