Nomar Mazara wasn't in either of the lineups in the exhibition games against the Cubs earlier this week.
Renteria said Mazara was "a little under the weather" on Sunday. He said the same on Tuesday, but his elaboration, though opaque, painted a clearer picture:
"As soon as I have more information on how he's doing, if we can share, we will. What I can share, we will."
At some point later Tuesday, the White Sox quietly placed Mazara on the 10-day injured list. Let's acknowledge that it could be a clerical error, because transaction pages burp from time to time. Paired with Mazara's absence, however, I'm guessing this is the White Sox sharing what they can. But if that's true, then the White Sox would be 3-for-3 in keeping mysterious absences just that (and Yoán Moncada admitted having COVID-19 after he recovered and returned. Maybe these mysterious IL stints are how the White Sox are choosing to disclose that information. They could say nothing and put a player on a COVID-19 list nobody can see, but that doesn't make it any more difficult to connect the dots when a starter is involved.
The one distinction with the 10-day injured list is that, well, it keeps a player out of action for a minimum of 10 days. Whatever Mazara has, it's serious enough that the White Sox are choosing to go without him until the last day of July, and there's no obvious everyday candidate to replace him.
The intuitive stopgap is a platoon of Leury García and Adam Engel. That's not going to be much of a platoon during the first week, because the Twins and Indians have one left-handed starter between them, and the Sox won't see that guy.
Of course, the Sox can sidestep all complications by calling up Nick Madrigal, because then they can get by with García in right, with Danny Mendick providing the layer of coverage around the three infield spots. If the White Sox really want to steal that year of service time, then perhaps Nicky Delmonico catching the final out of Monday's game against the Cubs tipped their hand.
Update No. 1: The White Sox indeed made it official with no explanation given.
Update No. 2: The Twins unveiled their probable pitchers for the opening series, which includes lefty Rich Hill because Jake Odorizzi experienced back stiffness. So a platoon in right field would afford at least one start for Engel if that's how it goes.
Update No. 3: Today's lineup has Nicky Delmonico in right and Nick Madrigal nowhere to be seen.
