Danny Mendick didn’t curse his luck.
The Chicago White Sox infielder’s season got here to finish Thursday with information that he tore the ACL in his proper knee, an damage suffered Wednesday in an outfield collision with Adam Haseley.
“You know what, that ball was in no man’s land,” Mendick mentioned whereas utilizing crutches a couple of hours earlier than the Sox opened a four-game towards the Baltimore Orioles at Guaranteed Rate Field.
“You’re going out, you’re trying to be aggressive. There’s nothing I would ever take back about it. I’m an aggressive player. I know Haseley is too. I talked to him about it. I wouldn’t change it. You go after the ball — that’s how it works. Maybe a little miscommunication, but that’s part of it.”
The Sox, nevertheless, would possibly curse their fortunes in relation to protecting gamers wholesome.
In addition to Mendick, outfielder Adam Engel on Thursday was positioned on the 10-day IL. Engel suffered a strained proper hamstring one inning after Mendick went down throughout a 9-5 residence loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday.
Engel’s similar hamstring value him the primary 58 video games of final season. He returned June 6 however went on the 10-day IL later that month.
This time round, he mentioned the damage feels much less extreme.
”Waking up at present, positively sore however nowhere close to as dangerous as what I’ve skilled final 12 months,” he mentioned. “So I’m optimistic that it should be on the shorter side of an IL stint and it shouldn’t take too long to get back healthy, get back out there.”
The Sox on Thursday recalled first baseman/outfielder Gavin Sheets from Triple-A Charlotte and chosen the contract of Double-A infielder Lenyn Sosa.
Eloy Jiménez was transferred to the 60-day IL and was eligible to be reinstated Thursday. He is rehabbing with Charlotte.
Meanwhile, outfielder Luis Robert was held out of Thursday’s recreation with a leg damage.
”He’s acquired a problem he’s had earlier than, so we’re going to let it settle down,” supervisor Tony La Russa mentioned. “I expect he’ll play tomorrow.”
The Sox depend their lineups each day. They’ve suffered a string of accidents since Garrett Crochet and Lance Lynn went down in spring coaching.
The damage bug additionally has nipped Tim Anderson, Yoan Moncada, Liam Hendriks, Yasmani Grandal and Aaron Bummer.
Mendick, 28, who’s hitting .289 with 15 RBIs in 31 video games, had earned extra enjoying time from La Russa and respect from Sox followers for his gritty play, particularly whereas filling in for Anderson whereas the All-Star shortstop was recovering from a proper groin pressure.
”It’s an amazing recreation in a number of methods, however a number of time there’s no justice,” La Russa mentioned. “What he’s finished to earn further enjoying time and been so productive.
“Our record, we survived Tim being out, and almost every one of those games, Danny did something or somethings, plural.”
Anderson returned from his IL stint Monday.
Medick mentioned he doesn’t know what’s occurring with the Sox, however “for all the injuries we’ve had it’s impressive what we’ve done so far. Guys will be coming back and getting better, to full strength, and we’re going to be dangerous.”
Mendick was upbeat regardless of the season-ending damage, believing he has ample time to rehab and be prepared for Day 1 of spring coaching in 2023.
”They’ve given me a superb timeline of after I find yourself getting surgical procedure and after I can begin getting after it till I will be full,” mentioned Mendick, who wasn’t certain of his surgical procedure date. “It’s exciting to be looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to … being fully healthy and really strong.”
The left-handed-hitting Sheets batted .270 with two residence runs in 9 video games with Charlotte after being demoted June 10. He hit .204 in his first stint with the Sox this season, regressing from his promising rookie 12 months.
But after Sheets’ stint with the Knights and dealing with their hitting coach, Chris Johnson, Sox hitting coach Frank Menechino “really felt like Gavin was more himself,” La Russa mentioned. “He’s a veteran now, so he’ll get dressed and he’ll get stretched, he’ll play right field.”
Sosa, 22, can play brief, second or third and is among the Sox’s high prospects. He led the Southern League getting into Thursday with a .331 common, 85 hits and 48 RBIs whereas posting a .933 OPS at Double-A Birmingham.
“He’s going to help wherever he can, but when you’re putting together the year he has you’ve got to believe he’s going to be an everyday player, La Russa said. ”He’s been (enjoying) each day down there and he’s tearing the duvet off the ball. The reality he can play three infield spots makes it simpler.”
The Venezuelan infielder, signed as a world free agent in 2016, will put on No. 50. Sosa was not within the beginning lineup Thursday however entered within the high of the sixth at second base after Josh Harrison was hit by a pitch within the backside of the fifth.
Tribune reporter Paul Sullivan contributed.
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