CLEVELAND -- White Sox infielder Matt Davidson was placed on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to May 25 with back spasms prior to Monday's series opener against the Indians at Progressive Field.
The White Sox purchased the contract of infielder Matt Skole from Triple-A Charlotte, with Skole hitting fifth in his Major League debut at first base. Right-handed pitcher Ricardo Pinto was designated for assignment to make room for Skole on the 40-man roster.
When a player's contract is designated for assignment -- often abbreviated "DFA" -- that player is immediately removed from his club's 40-man roster, and 25-man roster if he was on that as well. Within seven days of the transaction (it was previously 10 days), the player must either be traded, released or placed on irrevocable outright waivers.
Davidson was originally in Saturday's starting lineup against the Tigers, but had a setback during his second round of batting practice and was scratched. The White Sox decided to err on the side of caution.
"After the first round of BP, it just spasmed up again," Davidson said. "Maybe we went a little too quick to try to get back. Rest will be fine. They can retro it back a little bit so it won't be too long.
"It took a couple of days to kind of get back and I probably rushed it too soon. Hopefully I'll take that same amount of time and progress it and be back in a week."
Although he has not played since May 22 due to the lower-to-mid back spasms, the 27-year-old Davidson is having a breakout season with 11 home runs, 28 RBIs, a single-season career-high 27 walks and an .890 OPS. Davidson isn't worried about the back issue hampering this early success.
"It's a bummer. It's kind of why I wanted to be back so quickly," Davidson said. "But it's better off to not have this linger on, but just get rid of it. That's what we all decided to do."
White Sox manager Rick Renteria echoed Davidson's thoughts on taking time to get back to 100 percent.
"His setback was one that kind of put him back a little bit where he was in the beginning," Renteria said. "At that point, it was five days so it was more prudent to allow him to not try to rush."
Skole impresses in debut
When Skole first received the news of his callup to the White Sox, the 28-year-old had to sit down for 30 minutes just to get himself together.
"Oh, man, surreal," said Skole, who signed as a Minor League free agent on January 22. "I don't think it's really even settled in yet."
Skole had exactly 2,500 Minor League at-bats over 712 games and eight seasons. But it took him one pitch from Cleveland's Adam Plutko leading off the second of a 9-6 loss to the Indians for Skole to pick up his first career hit, a single to right with a 106.7-mph exit velocity per Statcast™. Skole launched his first career home run two innings later, joining Craig Wilson, Carlos Lee, Joe Borchard, Russ Morman and Miguel Olivo as the only players in franchise history to homer in their first game.

Both baseballs were retrieved and given to Skole.
"I was kind of blacked out there a couple at-bats I feel like," Skole said. "I was just floating really. Ended up just settling in, these guys made it really easy to come into this clubhouse and get comfortable. I couldn't have dreamed of anything better to start my big league debut. It was unreal."
Skole guessed his father, Mike, who was one of the family members in attendance, was "probably crying like a baby." He also dealt with a humorous dugout silent treatment after that first career blast.
"Their guy fouled off a couple pitches, and I was like 'Man, all right, I already did the fake high five,'" said a smiling Skole. "So I was waiting on them. The guys came over and grabbed me and hugged me, so it was pretty cool, a pretty neat moment."
Rodon, Robert in action
Luis Robert, the White Sox No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, who has been out since early March with a sprained ligament in his left thumb, returned to action Monday. He hit leadoff and played center field at extended spring camp.
Carlos Rodon is scheduled to start Tuesday for Charlotte. Rodon's last injury rehab start ended prematurely after six strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings when he was struck in the forehead by a line drive. But the healthy southpaw, working his way back from arthroscopic left shoulder surgery last September, won't miss a trip to the mound.
Rodon is scheduled to have at least two more rehab starts. But Renteria's comments Monday made that number seem flexible in either direction.
"I would say it could be a given, but subject to change," Renteria said. "Depending on how he throws tomorrow and how everyone sees him, we still have him scheduled to throw a few more down there, including the one he's starting tomorrow.
"We'll continue to measure it and make sure everybody putting their eyes on him has a feel for where he's at. We'll move from there."