With less than ten days until the start of the season, Andrew Benintendi is closing in on a return to the White Sox lineup.
The White Sox left fielder was slotted in as the designated hitter on Wednesday and is set to play the outfield on Friday in the club’s B games and minor league contests. Manager Will Venable told reporters he is still working to get Benintendi “up to speed” as Opening Day approaches.
The former All-Star suffered a hand injury in late February when he was hit with a pitch. At the time, the team announced he would miss 4-6 weeks with a non-displaced fracture of his right hand.
Despite the initial timeline, Benintendi remains optimistic about being ready for the White Sox season opener against the Angels next Thursday.
“I’m planning on it,” Benintendi told Daryl Van Schowen of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I said I was going to be there. Spoke it into existence. Get some ABs today and keep going.”
The 30-year-old is entering the third year of his five-year, $75 million contract—the richest in franchise history. However, he has struggled in Chicago, posting a .246/.309/.375 slash line in a White Sox uniform. Last season, he hit .229 but caught fire late in the year, finishing with 20 homers.
Venable told MLB.com that while Benintendi is responding well to treatment, the organization is cautious not to push him too hard. His ability to handle game action will determine whether he’s in the Opening Day lineup. Regardless, Benintendi is doing everything he can to be ready.
“You want to be in this clubhouse with these guys playing,” Benintendi told MLB.com. “If it takes a little pain swinging the bat to do it, so be it.”
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