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Who will step in at third base, center field and DH for the injury-riddled Chicago White Sox?

LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune
·4 min read

The Chicago White Sox wanted a right-handed batter in the No. 3 spot Tuesday to face Cleveland Guardians left-hander Logan Allen. With Luis Robert Jr. on the injured list, they turned to Lenyn Sosa.

Sosa originally started that night at second base but moved to third after Yoán Moncada exited with a left adductor strain.

The Sox have been forced to do some shuffling because of injuries to Robert, Moncada and designated hitter Eloy Jiménez.

Robert suffered a right hip flexor strain on April 5 and was placed on the 10-day injured list the next day. No official timeline for a return has been announced for the All-Star center fielder.

Moncada joined him on the 10-day IL on Wednesday — and will be out an estimated time of three to six months. Jiménez suffered a left adductor strain on March 31 and hasn’t played since. He was placed on the 10-day IL retroactive to April 2 and continued rehabbing with the team during the trip. The Sox are taking a wait-and-see approach to a possible return during the weekend series against the Cincinnati Reds at Guaranteed Rate Field.

“These are (our) 2-hole hitter (Moncada), 3-hole hitter (Robert), 4-hole hitter (Jiménez), it obviously hurts us a little bit,” Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Wednesday at Progressive Field, “but we’ve got a next-man-up mentality and go play hard and compete and do the very best we can every single day.”

Here’s a look at the options.

Third base

The Sox recalled Sosa from Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday, and he singled in his first at-bat against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. He’ll be called on more with Moncada unavailable.

“I have to stay healthy,” Sosa said through an interpreter before Wednesday’s game. “Keep doing what I’ve been doing since spring training and just working on my defense, too.”

Sosa is 4-for-14 (.286) with two doubles in four games.

“I’ve been more patient and trying to execute on the pitcher’s mistakes,” he said.

Sosa has displayed defensive versatility. So has Braden Shewmake, who has played at shortstop and second.

Shewmake saw some time at third base in spring training and might get a look in the regular season as well. He’s hitting .211 (4-for-19) with one home run and two RBIs in eight games.

Grifol said infielder Nicky Lopez — normally the team’s starting second baseman — is another possibility.

Center field

Dominic Fletcher has started at center for four of the five games since Robert’s injury. In the one game he didn’t start, Fletcher provided a lift off the bench in Tuesday’s 7-5 victory with a two-run double in the eighth inning that gave the Sox the lead.

“I saw him do what he’s capable of doing, which is controlling the strike zone,” Grifol said Tuesday. “It’s a good at-bat with a good swing.”

Kevin Pillar started in center field Tuesday and had a two-run double in the first inning.

Fletcher’s at-bat later that game was an example Grifol would point to for all the players.

“He didn’t start the game and that’s the good thing about what we’ve got going here; these guys know you might not start but there’s a good possibility you’re coming in,” he said. “This is an environment where you’ve got to be ready to play because we’re going to be matching up and doing whatever we can to win baseball games.”

Fletcher is 7-for-30 (.233) but has reached base safely in his last six games.

Designated hitter

Gavin Sheets had an impressive streak, reaching base in eight consecutive plate appearances between April 2-5. He continued to perform well offensively Wednesday with two doubles, a three-run homer and five RBIs.

“Just feel good, feel confident,” Sheets said after Wednesday’s game. “Feel offensive, just taking more aggressive swings.”

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Sheets is hitting .333 (9-for-27) with a team-leading seven RBIs. He’s tied for the team lead with two home runs.

“Right now he’s probably our most consistent at-bat, him and (Robbie) Grossman,” Grifol said. “Sheets is not missing his pitch.”

As for Jiménez, Grifol said before Wednesday’s game that the slugger is “getting close.”

“Everything is a possibility,” Grifol said of Jiménez’s chances of playing against the Reds. “We have to see where he’s at, where his timing is at. We’ll have to see what we feel as an organization what we want to do, not just for the team — but the short term and long term, too.

“Want to make sure these things don’t happen again. We certainly don’t want to rush something and put him in a position where we re-aggravate this thing.”