CHICAGO -- Having gone 2-for-11 with one triple, one walk and one run scored in four games for Triple-A Charlotte, Justin Morneau will transfer his Minor League injury rehab assignment to Double-A Birmingham on Monday, due to Charlotte's All-Star break. Morneau (left elbow surgery) will play Saturday for the Knights and have an off-day Sunday.
Before leaving for Charlotte, Morneau talked about needing a minimum of 30 plate appearances before returning to the White Sox. This total could be reached in time for the first baseman/designated hitter to join the White Sox at the start of the second half in Anaheim.
"That one is pretty tricky. It's really dependent on him and how he feels," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "The guy hasn't played in a year, and you are asking him to condense it down as fast as he can go.
"You don't really know where that is. You look at Spring Training and how many at-bats guys get, guys get close to 50 at-bats, if not more. You don't know where he's going to be, where his comfort level is."
One of Morneau's hits may have gone for a triple, but Ventura said that's something the team won't be counting on very much.
"Just the fact that he's feeling good," Ventura said. "And we'll go from there."