Eager to help White Sox, TA makes 1st career start at 2nd

CHICAGO — There have been no balloons or cake to be discovered within the White Sox clubhouse at Assured Price Subject to be able to rejoice Tim Anderson’s thirtieth birthday previous to Friday’s 3-1 series-opening loss to the Crimson Sox.

As an alternative, the veteran acquired the present of a place change for at the least one recreation, with Anderson beginning at second base for the primary time in his Main League profession. Anderson was not in supervisor Pedro Grifol’s authentic Friday lineup, having been out of motion since June 17 in Seattle with proper shoulder soreness except for a pinch-hit groundout on June 20.

However Grifol reconvened the media 45 minutes after his first session to clarify Anderson’s second base begin after 817 video games at shortstop and 814 begins.

“He threw, began taking part in, was taking his floor balls at brief and he introduced it as much as me the place, ‘I can play second if we want it,’” Grifol stated. “I requested him, ‘How do you are feeling with it?’ And he stated, ‘I’d prefer to go over there to get within the lineup. I wish to be part of this factor.’

“We talked about it. Clearly received [general manager] Rick [Hahn] concerned, and he’s going to play second base. That is about him desirous to be part of this lineup tonight and serving to us win a baseball recreation.”

Grifol talked about twice to not learn an excessive amount of into this modification as one thing everlasting.

“After the sport, we’ll consider it like if he wasn’t taking part in,” Grifol stated. “See the place his arm is and we’ll decide on the place he performs tomorrow. All intentions are for him to return to shortstop.”

Trea Turner and his 5 house runs primarily performed shortstop for Staff USA throughout the 2023 World Baseball Traditional, with Anderson transferring to second base. Anderson hit .333 with an .881 OPS over six video games for Staff USA and realized there might be a future at second.

However upon his return to White Sox Spring Coaching in March, Anderson smiled and made it clear shortstop was his precedence. His shoulder soreness made second base a greater present match, with the size of the throw within the gap at shortstop being Anderson’s concern, in accordance with Grifol’s pregame feedback.

Regardless of the cease at second, Anderson’s goal is a fast and wholesome return to his place.

“I hope so. We’ll see how the shoulder retains feeling and take it daily,” Anderson stated. “Simply making an attempt to get within the lineup. I performed some second within the WBC, so positively was an choice tonight.”

“He is aware of what he can deal with and what he can’t. He is aware of his physique,” Grifol stated. “He is aware of how he feels. I don’t suppose he would ever put himself in hurt’s method. If he needs to be part of it like he informed me he did, it’s a great group transfer for him.”

Elvis Andrus, who was additionally a profession shortstop till he returned to the White Sox throughout Spring Coaching through free company as their second baseman, continues to start out at shortstop. He dedicated an error within the fourth on Masataka Yoshida’s leadoff grounder, which was adopted by Rafael Devers’ Statcast-projected 434-foot house run because the fruits of an eight-pitch at-bat towards Lucas Giolito (5-5).

Boston (40-37) scored one other unearned run within the third when Anderson missed Giolito’s pickoff throw at second and the ball rolled far sufficient away to permit David Hamilton to attain.

“I simply didn’t see it,” Anderson stated. “Didn’t choose it up.”

Giolito struck out 10 over six and Chicago misplaced a recreation whereas permitting 4 or fewer hits and recording at the least 17 strikeouts for the primary time in franchise historical past. It’s solely the sixth incidence in Main League Baseball since 1975, in accordance with the White Sox.

“We’ve received to string base hits collectively, base hits and walks collectively, and we’ve received to hit homers with males on base,” Grifol stated. “That’s it. The underside line. At this time was a terrific pitching efficiency. We weren’t capable of step on house plate.”

“If I made higher pitches to Devers and didn’t surrender a homer, then it will’ve been a special recreation, so I solely have myself guilty for that,” Giolito stated. “General, one, possibly two, three errors, I’ll take that, personally. However I wish to win, so it’s irritating.”