GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Take a look at the White Sox starting lineup from Thursday's 6-5 walk-off win over the Mariners at Camelback Ranch and commit most of it to memory.

It’s very similar to what manager Rick Renteria will trot out at Guaranteed Rate Field on March 26 for Opening Day against the Royals. Designated hitter Edwin Encarnación was missing from the lineup as a pregame scratch due to back stiffness, and catcher Yasmani Grandal, who has been dealing with a left calf strain, remained out of action.

But the lineup of Tim Anderson, Yoán Moncada, José Abreu at the top looked familiar, while Nomar Mazara hit fifth, Eloy Jiménez sixth, Luis Robert seventh and Leury García ninth. Robert once again showed off some of his five-tool ability with a scorcher off the left-field wall in the second inning before easily cruising into second on a play that might not have come as easy for a player with less speed. He also coaxed a walk in the seventh.

Konerko visits Camelback Ranch

Paul Konerko, whose retired No. 14 jersey and statue honoring his tremendous 16 years with the White Sox reside at Guaranteed Rate Field, paid a visit to Camelback Ranch prior to Thursday’s game. As Konerko was talking to the media, White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf walked by and quipped, “He’s just an assistant coach,” humorously referring to Konerko’s role on his son’s baseball team in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Konerko coaches with J.J. Putz, the one-time White Sox reliever and current special assistant to the president and CEO with the D-backs, whose son is also on the team. It’s definitely a baseball outlet for Konerko, who retired after the 2014 season.

“I enjoy it. I don’t know in time where that will take me or what I’ll do with all of that,” Konerko said. “I get to spend time with my own kid. I’m fascinated always by the game, whether I watch a game on TV, college game, high school game.

“I’m going to a high school game tomorrow. I have a friend of mine who has a kid on it. I’ll enjoy watching that game every bit as much as watching a big league game.”

After watching the morning workout, Konerko also spoke about what he misses in baseball.

“I was out there today, and you miss the struggle of trying to find it,” Konerko said. “You see guys out there trying to find their swings -- they’re grinding, and as much as when you’re doing it and you wish anything in the world to not have the predicament of waking up every day and going ‘How the hell am I going to get a hit today?’

“When you first get out, Robin [Ventura] said, 'When you get up after you’re done playing, you wake up every day not having to get a hit, it frees up 80 percent of your brain.' But as time goes on, you appreciate that struggle. You do miss that struggle to really work on something and hone something like that.

“If you asked that question three years ago, I would have been like, ‘Thank God I don’t have to,’” Konerko said. “But as time goes on, you miss that competitive edge of trying to work on something, work on your craft.”

Fry not worried about back

Jace Fry didn’t seem worried about a back issue that has kept him out of action at the outset of camp when questioned Thursday. The left-handed reliever called it a sore, tight lower back, adding it’s something he’s dealt with and maintained over his career.

“It feels good. I’ve been throwing again and planning to get on the mound at the end of this week and progress from there,” Fry said. “Had a little episode where my back tightened up on me, kind of had a couple of back spasms. We have it under control now and we are just moving forward.”

Fry took four days off from throwing and had to regain the arm strength before getting on the mound.

“We are not really worried about it,” Fry said. “It’s getting better. It’s moving forward from here. It’s just mainly keeping to the routine and when it happens like this, to settle it down as quick as I can.”

They said it

“I would have thought myself out of 50 somehow.” -- Konerko, who was a cerebral, deep thinker as a player, on whether he could have hit 50 home runs in 2019 with players combining for an MLB record 6,776 homers. Konerko hit 439 home runs in his career.

Up next

The White Sox play host to the Indians at 2:05 p.m. CT on Friday at Camelback Ranch in a game that can be watched on a free, live webcast. Alex McRae gets his second Cactus League start for Chicago, but the bigger news will come on the back fields, where Dane Dunning will throw his first live batting practice since his Tommy John surgery last March. Michael Kopech also will throw a live BP.