GLENDALE, Ariz. — White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez left the team’s Cactus League game against the Diamondbacks Monday with cramping in his right calf, the team announced, the latest in a series of physical setbacks affecting the starting lineup as spring training reaches its final full week.
Jimenez is day-to-day.
On Sunday, the Sox revealed that first baseman Andrew Vaughn had a sore low back. That night, third baseman Yoan Moncada crashed into left fielder Roel Santos trying to track a short pop fly and exited Team Cuba’s loss to Team USA in the World Baseball Classic semifinals with a bruised rib.
Moncada was down for a while, left the game and was checked for a concussion but wasn’t seriously hurt.
The Sox also said Monday that right-handed reliever Matt Foster has a forearm strain, although Foster was not expected to make the Opening Day roster.
Jimenez, Vaughn and Moncada, however, are key pieces in the everyday lineup. Jimenez, who hit a nubber in front of the plate and was thrown out by Arizona catcher Carson Kelly in his only at-bat, headed to the trainer’s room with trainer James Kruk after the second inning, replaced by Adam Haseley in right field.
The Sox had a relatively clean spring training injury-wise before Vaughn was sidelined last week. Moncada strained an oblique muscle on the last day of camp a year ago, kicking off an injury-plagued seasons for the entire team. Among the casualties was Jimenez, who suffered a torn hamstring tendon below his right knee running out a ground ball in Minnesota on April 3.
Jimenez is expected to be the primary designated hitter but is getting playing time in right field, a spot expected to be occupied by prospect Oscar Colas. He came to camp 25 pounds lighter, determined to stay healthy and show he can play right field.
Manager Pedro Grifol expects Vaughn and Moncada to be ready on Opening Day in Houston in 10 days.
“He’s good,” Grifol said of Moncada. “If he were here and it meant something, he would play today.”
Cuban teammates Luis Robert Jr. and Moncada are flying in from Miami Tuesday and will rejoin the team Wednesday, Grifol said. Moncada batted .435 with a homer and four doubles in six games.
Vaughn ‘getting better’
Vaughn, meanwhile, took ground balls Monday.
“He feels good. Everyday he’s getting better,” Grifol said. “We did the right thing by just giving him a blow.”
Vaughn has had 31 Cactus League at-bats.
“We’ll get some more before we break and he’ll end up with 40, 40-something and that’s plenty,” Grifol said. “We play five days in a row when we start the season. He’ll get enough there, too.”
Ruiz shines at WBC
Right-hander Jose Ruiz returned to camp after posting 41⁄3 innings of scoreless relief for Venezuela, a body of work that included strikeouts of Tim Anderson and Mike Trout in high leverage moments.
Ruiz’ stuff has never been an issue, but his 12.5 percent walk rate was last season when he posted a 4.60 ERA.
“The WBC brought out the best in me,” he said through a translator.
“The experience was out of this world.”
Diamondbacks 7, Sox 3
*Hanser Alberto hit a three-run homer and, playing third base, made a tricky backhand stop, stepped on third and threw to first to complete a double play. Trying to win an Opening Day spot as a utility infielder, Alberto also singled, raising his average to .483.
*While he might have a tough time cracking the Opening Day roster, veteran Bryan Shaw made a case with his seventh scoreless relief appearance, recording five outs. Gregory Santos, also on the fringe but unlike Shaw is on the 40-man roster, posted his sixth scoreless outing.
*Outfielder Adam Haseley had three hits, including a double to raise his average to .438.
On deck: Sox at Brewers, Phoenix, 3:10 p.m., Lucas Giolito vs. Freddy Peralta.
