Giolito feels better, hopes to return this week

CHICAGO -- White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito, who has been on the 10-day injured list since April 18 with a strained left hamstring, will throw a second bullpen session Monday in his ongoing recovery process.

If he continues to make progress in a session featuring around 40 pitches, Giolito hopes to return to the rotation during this homestand, as White Sox general manager Rick Hahn mentioned Friday.

“I think so. Absolutely. I’m feeling much better,” Giolito said. “The thing with hamstrings is ... they can re-injure pretty easily. You want to make sure you are feeling really good before. If the next 'pen I continue to have progress from the previous one, then I think I’ll be in a really good spot.

“We’ll see what the protocol is on everything. A lot of the decisions aren’t up to me. If I’m continuing to feel the way I’m feeling, I’m hoping to be back pretty soon.”

Giolito threw a 35-pitch bullpen session Friday. With Wednesday’s starter against the Orioles listed as TBA by the White Sox, that spot could belong to the right-hander.

“We had the Rapsodo [pitch tracking system] and everything on it,” said Giolito of his Friday effort. “I was 92-94 [mph] in the 'pen, which I’m usually lower than that in a 'pen. I was feeling a little excited, and I’m ready to get back.”

Anderson just wants to have fun
Tim Anderson threw a “changeup” on his bat flip following the first walk-off home run of his career during Friday night’s 12-11 victory over the Tigers. He might have other versions of the flip still to come.

“We’ll see,” Anderson said. “I’ll show you more if it comes back around.”

The energetic White Sox shortstop, hitting .402 entering Sunday, plays hard, has fun and said he doesn’t care much about the outside objectors.

“I don’t know the old-school rules,” Anderson said. “I guess those are the rules when those guys played, but they’re not playing anymore. So, I think we’re going to switch it up a little bit.

“My guys like it. It gets them going. It brings a lot of spark to the squad and definitely gets these guys going, because just like the game the other night, anything can happen. If you play with a lot of energy, you’ve got a chance to come out on top. We did.”

Rondon gets a start in left field
Jose Rondon worked out in left field during Spring Training and played there during winter ball. But Sunday marked the infielder’s first start in left, against Detroit southpaw Matthew Boyd. Rondon is being viewed as a platoon option against lefties, as opposed to an everyday replacement, with Eloy Jimenez on the injured list.

“We worked with him a lot in the spring, in specific for the possibility of something like this occurring,” manager Rick Renteria said. “So, he's going to be in left field today.”

Sodfather delivers
A few inches of April snow didn’t keep White Sox head groundskeeper Roger Bossard from getting the field ready for action Sunday.

“Rog came in and he was apologizing, 'I can't get the field ready for BP, but I can get it ready for the game,'” Renteria said. “We came in, and there was snow strewn everywhere. They do a great job, Roger and his crew.”