Eaton says he’ll put team before body
CLEVELAND — White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton was sore a day after crashing into the wall at Progressive Field to make a great catch.
His feelings were somewhat hurt, too, by the reaction from the general public. Some people implied or suggested Eaton made a questionable choice by putting his body at risk to run down a deep fly ball by the Indians’ Roberto Perez. The collision forced him out of the game Friday and put him on the bench for the game Saturday.
‘‘ Instead of choosing my body, I chose my team,’’ Eaton said. ‘‘ People can curse me for it, but the day that I backpedal and let the ball hit off the wall is the day I’m going to quit baseball. Either the team can like it that I hustle, run into walls and put my body on the line for my teammates or they can just — I guess it is what it is.’’
The 5- 8, 185- pound Eaton, who missed a start for only the third time this season, had the wind knocked out of him and was tested for a concussion. He said he felt like he was in a car accident, ‘‘ kind of a jolt, whiplash.’’
In his third season with the Sox, Eaton has learned to rein in the aggressiveness on defense and on the bases that put his health at risk in the past. He ran face- first into the center- field fence while chasing a home run at U. S. Cellular Field in 2014, hurt his back and didn’t play for another 17 days.
Eaton said the grief he got for the play Friday, which was more aggressive than reckless, didn’t come from the clubhouse but from social media.
‘‘ Like I said, curse me if I do, curse me if I don’t,’’ he said. ‘‘ I put my team before my body. It’s just how I’ve been brought up, how I’ve been taught to play the game. If I die on the field, that’s where I want to die.’’
Manager Robin Ventura said Eaton plays smarter now than he did in the past.
‘‘ He would run after balls that were probably 10 rows deep [ in the bleachers],’’ Ventura said. ‘‘ This one, he could at least put a glove on it and have a chance to catch it. . . . Last night was just a great play.’’
Eaton is a Gold Glove candidate and has played like the Sox’ best all- around position player this season.
‘‘ He’s played a great right field, but we’ve had a need out there in center, as well,’’ Ventura said. ‘‘ He’s been pretty dang valuable.’’
Saladino still ailing
Infielder Tyler Saladino, who was a late scratch from the lineup Friday, likely will miss the entire series because of a sore back.
‘‘ Until we get home and [ he gets] looked at, he’s probably not going to be in there,’’ Ventura said.
Rodon in comfort zone
Left- hander Carlos Rodon, who will start the Sox’ final road game of the season Sunday, is 2- 0 with a 1.69 ERA in four career starts at Progressive Field.
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