ARLINGTON -- The White Sox rebuild hit a painful pothole Saturday, when right-handed pitcher Reynaldo Lopez was placed on the 10-day disabled list (retroactive to Friday) with a strained back and second baseman Yoan Moncada was scratched from the starting lineup due to right shin splints.
Neither malady seems to have the team panicked; White Sox manager Rick Renteria termed the move with Lopez as more of a precautionary measure.
"We feel really good about where he's at," said Renteria. "It wasn't his side, exactly. It was more toward his back, I guess. He's feeling good. For us, it's a good move to slow it down and make sure he's OK."
Lopez, 23, exited in the fifth inning of a losing start to Texas on Thursday with what he described as soreness near his right rib cage. The White Sox staff noticed a drop in velocity from Lopez during that start, but Lopez confirmed there were no shoulder or arm problems when Renteria came to the mound to check.
It was first baseman Jose Abreu who persuaded Lopez to take care of the pain and try not to pitch through it. With Lopez on the disabled list, Lucas Giolito (No. 59 prospect overall, per MLBPipeline, and No. 6 for the White Sox) will make his debut with the White Sox on Tuesday and take Lopez's rotation spot in the short term. Carson Fulmer (No. 11 White Sox prospect) will start Monday's doubleheader nightcap against the Twins as the 26th man for the DH.
Moncada, the No. 1 prospect overall, per MLBPipeline, felt the shin splints for the past couple of days. But the soreness became a little bit more intense Saturday, and after talking with Renteria, Moncada was removed from the starting lineup.
"Basically it's just ice and hot, the treatment," said Moncada through interpreter Billy Russo, adding it's the first time he has dealt with shin splints. "I think probably tomorrow or in the worst-case scenario Monday [for a return]. But it's not something that you have to be concerned [about]."
"He's been playing with it for a couple of days," said Renteria of Moncada, who is in a 3-for-27 funk with a double and a homer. "Today we got it worked on and wrapped to try to alleviate a little bit of the discomfort. He was feeling it enough to feel like it would impede him a little bit. We'll keep treating him day to day and see if we can find a way to minimize the discomfort he feels."