‘ Playing it safe,’ Engel sits
BOSTON — An outfield depleted by injuries to Avisail
Garcia, Leury Garcia and Nicky Delmonico can’t withstand much more, but the White Sox still played without center fielder
Adam Engel for a third consecutive day Saturday.
Engel, the Sox’ best outfield glove, strained his right hamstring Thursday in Minnesota while chasing down a fly ball in the gap on a nice running catch. He’s dayto- day and might not be ready to go Sunday, when the Sox close out their trip against the Red Sox. “Just playing it safe, making sure I don’t go down an extended period of time,’’ Engel said. “I could probably play, but we’re taking the risks out of the equation.’’
After a slow start, Engel is batting .327 with two homers, three doubles, a triple and seven RBI with nine runs scored in his last eight games, raising his average from .183 to .227.
“Feeling good at the plate, which makes it even more frustrating,’’ he said. “I’m focusing on rhythm and a lower effort level. The swing works. The challenge the last year is getting the swing to translate into the game.”
Leury Garcia went on the 10- day disabled list with a sprained left knee May 24 and is “feeling good,” manager Rick Renteria said, although he doesn’t appear to be as close to a minor- league rehab assignment as Avisail Garcia, who said he expects to begin an assignment with Charlotte on Tuesday.
Extended rest for Yolmer
Infielder Yolmer Sanchez was out of the starting lineup for a second consecutive day as Renteria looked to give “one of the hardest- working guys we have” an opportunity to recharge and to give Jose Rondon a couple of days in the lineup against left- handed pitchers. Rondon walked and singled.
Sanchez, a switch hitter, hit a pinch triple, his major- leagueleading seventh of the season.
A visit from Sale
Chris Sale, the former Sox star who struck out 10 in eight innings of one- run ball but lost to Dylan
Covey 1- 0 on Friday, was a visitor in the clubhouse a few hours before the game.
“He’s one of my favorite I’ve come across in this game,’’ said
Trayce Thompson, who drove in the only run of the game. “Probably my favorite pitcher to watch in baseball. He treated me well since the day I met him in 2011 when he was a young guy, I was a minor- leaguer. He treated me the same from then until I played with him in the big leagues.’’
This and that
Catcher Kevan Smith, who knocked in a run with a groundout to the right side and singled twice, is 7- for- 16 since getting called up from Charlotte on Tuesday.
† Xavier Cedeno, who struck out all three batters he faced in the sixth, combined with Chris
Volstad and Luis Avilan for three innings of scoreless relief.