SEATTLE — The White Sox made a handful of roster moves before they opened a three-game series against the Mariners Monday, none bigger than reinstating Yoan Moncada from the injured list.
But Moncada was apparently not quite ready for game action, so Josh Harrison played third base. Moncada will start Tuesday and Wednesday against the Mariners, acting manager Miguel Cairo said.
“We had a long flight and he’s been dealing with hamstrings and just going to give him one day so he can get used to the ground, rest a little bit, take one more day and [Tuesday] and the next day he will be in the lineup,” Cairo said.
Moncada landed on the injured list on August 27 (retroactive to August 26) with a strained left hamstring. He opened the season on the IL with an oblique strain. He has been a disappointment offensively, batting .197/.269/.313 with seven home runs in 80 games this season, but is a plus defensively for a team that is a minus overall.
“To spend almost all April without playing and trying to get his rhythm, trying to get at-bats, it’s tough,” Cairo said.
“It’s kind of like you’re playing catchup. I think that’s what’s been happened to him, but he’s ready to go and I’m glad we’re going to have [Luis] Robert, him, Eloy [Jimenez], Abreu, [Andrew] Vaughn, [AJ] Pollock. We’ve got our team back together, almost, tomorrow our normal lineup out of spring training.”
Bummer is back
The Sox also reinstated left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer from the injured list, giving Cairo another lefty to use in the bullpen besides Jake Diekman. To make room, outfielders Adam Haseley and Mark Payton were returned to Triple-A Charlotte after brief stays with the big club.
Bummer is coming off a lat strain after going on the IL June 12. He has appeared in only 20 games, posting a 3.06 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 17 2⁄3 innings. He appeared in three rehab games at Charlotte.
Robert returns to lineup
Robert, who has nursed a sore left wrist and was away on paternity leave over the weekend, started his first game since Aug. 25.
Cairo said Robert batted seventh, lower than usual, because “you have to be careful with hand injuries, and wrists, all that kind of stuff. I didn’t want to put him at the top of the lineup right away ... first day, you don’t know how he’s going to do or feel so I was just trying to ease him into the lineup and games.”
Cairo said everyone has soreness in September.
“He told me he’s ready to go and he’s ready to go.”
This and that
Wednesday’s starter is TBA, with Michael Kopech a “maybe” per Cairo. Kopech is eligible to come off the 15-day IL with a sore right knee.
* The Sox also outrighted right-hander Tobias Myers to Charlotte. Myers five starts with was claimed off waivers from San Francisco on August 2 and made five starts for Charlotte.
*Infielder Danny Mendick joined the team in Seattle, upbeat as always and insisting he’ll be ready for the start of spring training. Mendick is recovering from a torn ACL.
