Garcia joins the team in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS -- Having Avisail Garcia join the White Sox on this three-city, 11-game road trip, coupled with the throwing work he has been doing in Chicago, is a good psychological boost for the right fielder lost for the season due to surgery repairing a torn labrum and avulsion fracture in his left shoulder.

This trip represents another step in the road back for Garcia, with the potential to play winter ball after the 2014 season and before a healthy 2015 return.

"It's possible," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura of Garcia and winter ball. "You want him to go play so he's ready for Spring Training. You don't want that to be the first time he has played in a year.

"I'm sure that's something that will be discussed, where he's going to play and how much and things like that. But it would also be determined by [White Sox head athletic trainer] Herm [Schneider] to see where he's at in his rehab just to make sure he's 100 percent when he goes out there."

Ventura still doesn't see Garcia in the picture for '14.

"But when they start making their way back," Ventura said. "you want them to be around it as much as they can so when they do get back on the field, it isn't that odd."