Injuries & Moves: Robert returns to lineup; Vargas day to day

Injuries & Moves: Robert returns to lineup; Vargas day to day

September 6th, 2024

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Sept. 6: CF returns to lineup vs. Red Sox
Robert got the start in center field, batting second in Friday's series opener at Fenway Park, after he exited Wednesday night’s series finale in Baltimore in the sixth inning with right hamstring tightness.

After an eventful evening in which he doubled in a run in the fourth and made a jumping grab at the wall in the fifth, Robert was at less than full speed in the sixth inning, when he grounded into what was eventually called a double play on video review, after he was originally ruled safe at first.

He remained on the field during the challenge before walking off after the decision, escorted by interim manager Grady Sizemore and White Sox training staff.

Sept. 6: 3B (right eye abrasion) day to day after collision on popup
Vargas was out of the lineup for a second straight game after taking the worst of a crash meeting Tuesday night with Andrew Benintendi on a play where both were unable to catch Eloy Jiménez's towering pop fly.

The third baseman ran headfirst into the left fielder’s upper left arm on the second-inning sequence, and the team said Vargas departed with a right eye abrasion.

White Sox training staff treated Vargas on the field and initially allowed the 24-year-old to remain in the game after the play, which resulted in a three-run error to add to Baltimore’s early lead, but removed him after the next Orioles batter.

"I think he’s doing OK," interim manager Grady Sizemore said. "Today was still a planned day off for him, we want to make sure that he has another day of full activity and no lingering symptoms. As far as I’ve heard, everything’s good, we’ll see how BP goes today and we’ll go from there."

Sept. 4: INF (right wrist sprain) placed on 10-day IL; INF recalled from Triple-A Charlotte
Baldwin has been dealing with the injury since Aug. 27, and and he was placed on the injured list on Wednesday after he entered Tuesday's contest as an injury replacement for Miguel Vargas. The switch-hitter finished the 9-0 defeat to Baltimore 0-for-3 with a strikeout. On Wednesday, interim manager Grady Sizemore said there was lingering soreness for Baldwin, particularly when batting left-handed.

Ramos -- the No. 12 prospect in the White Sox system -- has been streaking recently at Charlotte, hitting safely in his last 15 games while posting a .339 average and .943 OPS over that stretch.

The right-handed batter is slashing .242/.320/.387 with 10 homers and 44 RBIs over 88 games between Double-A and Triple-A this season. He went 9-for-46 (.196) with two doubles in his first big league stint back in May.

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10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST

INF (right wrist sprain)
Expected return: Mid/late September
Baldwin has been dealing with the injury since Aug. 27, but he was placed on the injured list on Sept. 4 after he entered the previous night's contest as an injury replacement for Miguel Vargas.

The switch-hitter finished the 9-0 defeat to Baltimore 0-for-3 with a strikeout. And on Sept. 4, interim manager Grady Sizemore said there was lingering soreness, particularly when batting left-handed.

Baldwin is batting .211 through 33 games of his debut MLB season with 2 homers and 8 RBIs. (Last updated: Sept. 4)

RHP (right shoulder impingement)
Expected return: TBD
Leasure will begin a rehab assignment on Sept. 6 at Triple-A Charlotte after throwing his third bullpen session on Sept. 3 in Baltimore. The rookie has posted a 6.33 ERA over 33 games and 31 1/3 innings pitched. He has not thrown in a big league game since July 14.

He had an MRI and has seen a doctor several times, with all the tests showing nothing that would indicate the injury is serious. (Last updated: Sept. 4)

RHP (right forearm flexor strain)
Expected return: 2025
Thorpe, who was placed on the 15-day IL (retroactive to Aug. 1) with a right forearm flexor strain, is scheduled to undergo season-ending surgery to remove a bone spur in his right elbow on Sept. 7 at San Francisco's Golden State Orthopedics in a procedure to be performed by Dr. Kenneth Akizuki. He is expected to be without restrictions for the start of Spring Training. (Last updated: Sept. 1)

RHP (lower back strain)
Expected return: TBD
Wilson was placed on the IL on Aug. 17, retroactive to Aug. 15. He began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on Aug. 28, tossing a scoreless inning with one walk and one strikeout. Wilson, 29, has made 40 relief appearances for the White Sox this season, going 1-6 with a 5.71 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings. (Last updated: Aug. 29)

RHP (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: September
The right-hander threw another bullpen session when the club returned to Chicago on Aug. 23, and he joined third baseman Yoan Moncada in Triple-A Charlotte on Aug. 27 for a rehab assignment. Soroka was diagnosed with a subscapular strain, which he first felt pitching in Pittsburgh on July 14. He left after one-third of an inning.

Soroka is 0-10 on the season, but he has a 3.45 ERA over 13 relief appearances, striking out 47 in 28 2/3 innings. (Last updated: Aug. 27)

60-DAY INJURED LIST

3B (left adductor strain)
Expected return: TBD
The news on Moncada took a major positive turn on Aug. 23, as general manager Chris Getz announced the third baseman will begin an injury rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on Aug. 27, which he did by hitting second and serving as the designated hitter. The switch-hitter was 2-for-6 with two RBIs over his first two games with Charlotte, after he went 8-for-15 over five games with the Arizona Complex League White Sox despite not seeming comfortable with where he was physically at that time.

Moncada was running to first on a grounder on April 9 when he doubled over in pain and had to be helped off the field. He was placed on the IL the next day. (Last updated: Aug. 30)

RHP (right rotator cuff strain)
Expected return: 2025
Lambert underwent shoulder surgery on Aug. 20 in Los Angeles, performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, and he is done for the season, per the White Sox. He was placed on the 60-day IL on March 28 and began an injury rehab assignment with the Arizona Complex League White Sox on July 19. (Last updated: Aug. 23)

RHP (right elbow inflammation, neck stiffness)
Expected return: 2025
Clevinger's four-start stint with the 2024 White Sox came to an end July 27, when the team announced he would undergo disk replacement surgery on his neck on Aug. 1 and will miss the remainder of the season. He was moved to the 60-day injured list on Aug. 17. (Last updated: Aug.17)

RHP (right UCL sprain)
Expected return: 2025
Leone suffered the UCL sprain while pitching in the seventh inning of a 10-2 loss to the Yankees on Aug. 14 at Guaranteed Rate Field. He left the game after sustaining the injury, finishing his White Sox stint with a 0-2 record and 6.63 ERA over 19 innings pitched and 23 relief appearances this season. (Last updated: Aug. 16)

C (left hip inflammation)
Expected return: 2025
Stassi underwent a season-ending left hip surfacing procedure on June 7 at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. He is expected to be ready for Spring Training in 2025. “I really like Stassi,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “I thought his veteran presence was going to be good for us.” (Last updated: June 10)

RHP (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: Early to mid-2025
Scholtens had surgery to repair a torn ulnar cruciate ligament in his right elbow on March 1 and will miss the season.

He was placed on the 60-day IL on Feb. 27 to make room for Bailey Horn, acquired from the Cubs. Scholtens was 1-9 with a 5.29 ERA in 26 appearances (11 starts) last season. (Last updated: Feb. 27)

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