CHICAGO -- With a team-best .365 on-base percentage and featuring an elevated average of 4.20 pitches seen per plate appearance, catcher Omar Narvaez stands as an outside-the-box candidate to bat leadoff for the White Sox.
But manager Rick Renteria seems to prefer a little more speed at the top in an effort to maximize early run creation.
"I would like to have, if it all possible, any opportunity that you have to create offense in terms of runs early as often as possible," Renteria said. "That's the thinking behind possibly stacking the lineup early beyond the idea that you're gonna get these guys to have more at-bats over the course of the game. Clubs that are able to strike early put the club in an advantageous position."
Rehabbing Garcia moves to Triple-A Charlotte
Leury Garcia's injury rehab assignment moved from the Arizona Rookie League to Triple-A Charlotte after Garcia went 4-for-9 over two games in Arizona. The center fielder has been sidelined by a sprained finger on his left hand.
"We're hoping he's gonna continue to be pain-free," Renteria said. "The hand seems to be responding well.
"Obviously it's taking a little longer than we hoped. But he's working really hard, and hopefully he'll be able to get himself on track playing again and playing at a higher level of competition to be able to come back to the club."
Third to first
Infielder Jake Peter owns an 18-game hitting streak between Double-A Birmingham (eight games) and Charlotte (10). Peter is hitting .384 with nine RBIs and eight multi-hit efforts during the streak.
Saturday's throwback game commemorated the team's 1917 World Series championship over the New York Giants.