OAKLAND -- White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia, the lone representative for the team in the 2017 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard, is close to returning to the lineup but missed his fifth straight game Monday with left knee soreness.
Garcia did not start Monday night in the first of a three-game series in Oakland, but he participated in a full complement of baseball activity before the White Sox faced the A's.
"I feel better. I got a full batting practice today and I caught fly balls," Garcia said. "I've been running already, but I've got to run the bases during batting practice and I'm taking a full batting practice. I'll see how I feel and see if I can play tomorrow."
Garcia and manager Rick Renteria stressed caution as Garcia gets treatment on the knee, with Renteria saying he's hopeful that Garcia will be available at some point in Oakland.
"I want him to go through the whole routine today so I can have a sense of security of where he's at," Renteria said before Monday's game. "I don't want to rush him back without having a full understanding of what the regular routine is going to do to him."
"You've got to be careful with the knee. You only have two," Garcia added with a laugh. "It's probably the base of my leg, so you've got to be really careful with it.
"I'd prefer to lose five days and then play a game. I don't want to lose two weeks to four weeks. That's why we're really careful with that."
And while he's focused on returning for the White Sox, getting a chance to play in Miami next week is an added bonus for the American League All-Star, who is batting .318 with 11 homers and 51 RBIs on the year. Renteria has been proud of the effort he's given all season.
"He's done a great job for us in the first half of the season. He's continued to improve, both in the field and at the plate," Renteria said. "He always gives you high energy and he's always hustling. He's done a lot of good things, and he's put together very good approaches at the plate this year."
Worth noting
• Renteria said closer Player Page for David Robertson (paternity leave) will probably not be back with the team in Oakland. Renteria added the White Sox will play matchups, but said it'd be "easy" to have right-hander Tommy Kahnle be the closer.
"There's no apprehension on our part to be able to use [Kahnle] in that role. None whatsoever," Renteria said. "It's just a matter of where we're at in the game and what's going on."
• Reliever Nate Jones (right elbow neuritis) is traveling with the White Sox as he continues his rehab. Renteria said it's a sign of progress for him and that he'll continue to play catch and work back slowly.
• Outfielder Leury Garcia (sprained finger) is in Arizona to continue his rehabilitation after being placed on the disabled list June 19. Renteria said he's likely to get a Minor League rehab assignment before returning to the White Sox.
• Infielder Tyler Saladino (back spasms) started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on Monday. He's been out since May 27.