OAKLAND, Calif. — White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, mired in the worst slump of his career, continues to have the support of first-year manager Pedro Grifol.
Despite his recent troubles at the plate, Anderson stayed in the No. 2 spot in Grifol’s lineup for the Sox’ game against the Athletics Saturday.
“I don’t give up on players that easy,” Grifol said Saturday. “It’s not so much giving up on them, I have faith in them. At this point in time I don’t see a move.”
Grifol’s paid off early. Anderson walked on four pitches his first time, then singled to center, advanced to second on Luis Robert’s single and scored on Eloy Jimenez’ single. He struck out his third time up.
Anderson was 0-for-5 with four strikeouts in the Sox’ 7-4 loss Friday to the Athletics, the worst team in the majors. His 4-for-53 slump with three walks in his last 14 games dropped the former batting champion’s average to .226. Two of those hits were singles in a 9-7 win against the Angels Thursday. Anderson scored two runs in that game.
“He’s done it for a long, long time,” Grifol said. “You just don’t take it away from him for 60 games or whatever it is. You just don’t do that. In my opinion. He’s always one swing away. I have faith in him. I’ve spoken to him. He feels good. It’s not like I’m throwing him in there without having conversations with him. I have faith in him. He’s done it before and he’s going to do it again.”
Hitting coach Jose Castro was ejected trying to defend a called third strike on Anderson in the fourth, but there was no beef about the three straight pitches down the middle that Anderson looked at in the second.
In the eighth inning, Anderson struck out with runners on second and third for the third out. He took a few steps toward the dugout and slammed his helmet in frustration.
Anderson owns a .265 on-base percentage and has not homered since last July. That lack of production at the top of the lineup, batting in front of the the team’s best hitter, Luis Robert, has been a detriment to a struggling offense.
Grifol dropped Anderson from his customary leadoff spot on June 17 in Seattle, bumping Andrew Benintendi from second to first.
Grifol remains confident Anderson will break out soon. He had “a good conversation” with Anderson Saturday morning.
“He feels good and his spirits are up,” Grifol said. “He knows this is something that happens in life. He’s going through some adversity right now. I’m actually optimistic that he’s going to figure this thing out pretty quickly.”
Robert an All-Star?
Luis Robert Jr. is expected to be named to the AL All-Star team Sunday.
“I’m going to be some kind of sideways if we don’t [get that news] because that would be a damn shame if he’s not part of that All-Star Game,” Grifol said.
Robert would be the first Sox All-Star center fielder since Chet Lemon in 1977 and ‘78. He ranked second in the AL in homers (24), extra-base hits (44), slugging (.570) and total bases (175) and was third in defensive runs saved with eight.
Clevinger update
Mike Clevinger (biceps inflammation) is throwing on flat ground, up to 90 feet, and expects to throw a bullpen before the All-Star break, another during the break and a sim game after the break before returning to the rotation.
This and that
Touki Toussaint is the likely starter in the third game of the series Sunday.
