First pitch and pregame notes

Yoán Moncada used the phrase “it has been difficult,” plenty while discussing his adductor injury, the physical pain he was in, seeing Eloy Jiménez and Luis Robert Jr. also get injured running the bases, and watching the team struggle. 

But the 28-year-old third baseman said that the end of his season and thus, possibly his White Sox career, did not cross his mind.

“I knew I would be out for a long time, but I never thought it would be over,” Moncada said via interpreter. “The first day was tough, I was in pain. But today we are progressing. I’m better up to this point where I can move around a little bit better. Hopefully I can keep that progression. But I definitely feel way better where I’m at right now compared to that first day.”

Moncada is far from galloping around the clubhouse, but he summoned media to his locker because he is imminently heading out to the team complex in Arizona to begin rehabbing, with the hope of returning after the All-Star break.

“I feel in peace that I’m going to be able to come back this season,” Moncada said via interpreter. “But I’m not happy or comfortable with what is going on because I prepared to play the full season and now unfortunately that won’t happen. But knowing that I’m coming back, it gives me peace.”

For what it’s worth, a common theme from the troika of injured White Sox injured core positional players has been bemoaning that they felt like they did everything they were supposed to do from an offseason training perspective, and still were hurt while running the bases.

“I don’t think there’s a reason, I don’t think you can find a reason why this happened. I prepared pretty good for this season. I did everything that I was supposed to do during the offseason and during spring training and then something like this happened, and the same with the other guys.”

– The White Sox prioritized improving their defense in the offseason, and began the season with a surfeit of capable defensive outfielders.

But for the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader, natural first baseman Gavin Sheets is back in right field. Sheets confirmed he’s continued to take reps in the outfield as he would in past seasons, even though his time out there was expected to dip this season. 

“It’s a balance,” said Pedro Grifol. “However, we’re not producing offensively right now, so we’ve got to find ways to step on home plate. And I think right now we’ve only stepped on home plate 34 times this year. He’s one of our better bats right now, he’s putting good at-bats together, he’s comfortable at the plate, and we’ve got to find a place for him to play.”

Dominic Fletcher is hitting .375/.464/.500 over his last nine games with three doubles mixed in, but Grifol made it clear he’s keeping the leadoff spot warm for Robbie Grossman, who will start there in the nightcap.

“But I’m confident with Dom there,” Grifol said. “He’s getting better, little by little. He’s got a pretty good eye at the plate. He’s still got tons of improvement to make, but he’s a guy that’s steadily making improvement, which is the reason he’s in the No. 1 [spot].”

First Pitch

TV: NBC Sports Chicago

Game 1 - 1:10 PM CT

Game 2 - 4:25 PM CT