Anderson backs Padres’ Tatis
Tim Anderson wants to change the game, so it came as no surprise to hear the White Sox shortstop scoff at the notion Fernando Tatis Jr. broke an unwritten rule by swinging at a 3-0 pitch with the bases loaded during a blowout victory.
Tatis, the 21-yearold Padres shortstop who leads the majors in homers, hit a grand slam against the Rangers’ Juan Nicasio that angered the Rangers and led to manager Chris Woodward citing the “unwritten rules” of baseball “that are constantly being challenged in today’s game.”
Woodward took issue with the Padres, leading 10-3 in the eighth inning at the time, for piling on runs by swinging at a pitch that is often taken. It falls under the umbrella of other unwritten rules such as not stealing bases with a big lead. It seemed almost everyone in baseball weighed in on the subject Tuesday, including Anderson.
“I don’t care about what other people say about the rules because they’re unwritten,” Anderson said.
“What he did, I liked it. But he shouldn’t have apologized. Apologize for what? There was no need for that. You hit a grand slam, what are you apologizing for?”
After the home run, Nicasio was replaced by Ian Gibaut, who threw a 93 mph fastball behind Manny Machado.
Tatis apparently missed a take sign before the pitch and was apologetic. His manager, Jayce Tingler, offered him little support.
“I’ve been in this game since I was a kid, and I know a lot of unwritten rules,” Tatis said. “And this time, I was kind of lost on this one. From those experiences, you have to learn. Probably next time, I’ll take a pitch.”
Tatis said he wants the game to be fun, which is what Anderson has been preaching for a couple of years now.
“It’s just really an open floor. It’s a wide open gym, man,” Anderson said. “Anybody can do anything. Just bring a lot of excitement, man. I think the game is, like I said, a bore. It is boring. To see things like that definitely makes it exciting.
“Who would have thought he was going to hit a home run 3-0 with the bases loaded? Nobody. So I think that’s why everybody’s acting weird about it.”
What’s more, there was no reason to lie down, Anderson said.
“The game wasn’t over,” he said.
Grandal out a few days
Manager Rick Renteria said he hopes to have catcher Yasmani Grandal, who left Monday’s 7-2 win over the Tigers with back stiffness, playing “by the end of the week.”
“He’s doing better today,” Renteria said. “Hopefully before the end of the week he’s back in there again.”
James McCann, an All-Star in 2019, will likely handle most of the duty with Zack Collins backing up.
Dunning for Wednesday
Sox prospect Dane Dunning will start Wednesday against Tigers top pitching prospect Casey Mize, Renteria said. It will be the first game with both pitchers making their major-league debuts since July 10, 2018, when the Phillies’ Enyel De Los Santos faced the Mets’ Drew Gagnon (STATS).
As for Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder), who is working his way back at Schaumburg, “if and when he returns he will still be very limited,” Renteria said.