Vaughn, who had COVID-19 in December and has been vaccinated, said he took five tests that all came back negative.
The White Sox didn’t think Andrew Vaughn would be gone long.
He wasn’t.
Vaughn (MLB COVID protocol) was activated from the injured list and started Saturday’s game against Detroit in left field. Vaughn, who had COVID-19 in December and has been vaccinated, said he took five tests that all came back negative.
“It’s definitely hectic. I would say that,” Vaughn said. “Better be safe than sorry. That’s the biggest thing. We’re in 2021. It’s different times.”
Vaughn missed Monday’s doubleheader in Cleveland due to allergies, returned to the lineup Tuesday and was placed on the IL on Thursday.
“That was a pain in the butt,” Vaughn said of the allergies. “I never really had allergies and coming off the flight, it hit me. Hit me like a truck. And then the training staff had me take some good medicine, it cleared me up and I was good to go.”
After not appearing in two games, infielder/outfielder Gavin Sheets was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte.
DH Grandal
Yasmani Grandal served as the designated hitter for the first time this season, meaning Friday night hero Yermin Mercedes was out of the lineup.
Before facing Detroit starter Tarik Skubal, Grandal had only 35 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers. But coming off Friday night’s emotional game, Saturday’s 1:10 p.m. start was a good time to get Grandal off his feet. And with the Sox slated to see lefties against the Blue Jays, Sox manager Tony La Russa wanted Grandal to get more right-handed swings.
“One of Yasmani’s strengths is hitting from the right-hand side,” La Russa said. “He hadn’t had a lot of at-bats from that side. This is a chance for him to get right-handed swings and at the same time get ready down the road.”
La Russa said he talked to Mercedes about the decision Saturday, and said he’d be back in the lineup Sunday.
“It’s team-first, and in this case, getting Yasmani some at-bats on the right-hand side, he just hasn’t gotten very many of them,” La Russa said. “This is important.”
Pitching moves
The Sox flipped Carlos Rodon and Dylan Cease in the rotation, moving Cease to Sunday and Rodon to Tuesday against Toronto. The swap keeps Cease on regular rest and allows him to see a Tigers team he’s dominated, going 6-0 with a 2.29 ERA in six career starts facing Detroit.
As for Rodon, it means he’ll be making his next start on eight days’ rest, following his outing last Monday against Cleveland. Rodon has started only twice this year on a regular four days, while five of his appearances have come with six or more days rest as the Sox try to build him back up.
On regular rest, Rodon has a 4.50 ERA. With six or more days: 1.42.
“So far, in the early part of the season, every time we’ve been able to give Carlos extra days, it’s worked out well,” La Russa said. “It just made sense, extra days, whether it’s keeping him healthy or extra time to work on his delivery. And that’s the reason we did it.”
from Chicago Sun-Times - All https://ift.tt/3vURWEF
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