NEW YORK – It’s 2:40 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.
White Sox outfielder Randal Grichuk went over to the Yankees’ side of the field, where he hugged infielder Amed Rosario and had a conversation with hitting coach James Rowson.
Clearly, there isn’t any bitterness on Grichuk's part after the Bronx Bombers designated him for assignment on April 29 and then released him two days later. He said it wasn’t guaranteed that he would be with the franchise the entire season.
“I have a bunch of good relationships built in a short period of time over there, so it’s good to see some of those guys,” Grichuk said. “There are some good guys over there.”
In his brief time with the Yankees, Grichuk didn’t see much playing time because the outfield was set with Cody Bellinger in left field, Trent Grisham in center and Aaron Judge in right. Keep in mind, this was before Judge and Grisham went down with recent injuries. In 16 games with New York, Grichuk had a slash line of .194/.212/.323 with two RBIs.
“When I was in New York, I was preparing to hit, but I didn’t pinch-hit one time over there, which I totally understand,” Grichuk remembered. “They had a loaded bench, and I wasn’t first on the totem pole.”
It’s a different story with the White Sox after he joined the team on May 4. He sees a lot of playing time against left-handed pitchers, and he has taken advantage of the situation.
Entering Tuesday’s action, Grichuk had a slash line of .316/.361/.667 with six homers and 17 RBIs in 27 games. He is one of the reasons the White Sox were tied with the Guardians for first place in the American League Central entering Tuesday’s action.
“It’s a blast. This is a young, fun team,” Grichuk said. “I feel like we can conquer the world together. We are just having fun. We are playing and growing together.”
Grichuk is more than just a hitter off the bench. At 34, he is most proud that the young players are coming to him for advice.
“Any time young guys have questions, they want to ask about hitting, mechanics or anything in the game. If I’m able to give someone advice that I got from an older guy … that’s what it’s all about,” Grichuk said. “Hopefully, one day [the young players] can give [the same advice] to a young player when they are 10 years in.”