Tanner Murray heads to the 10-day IL with a shoulder injury, while Austin Hays returns to give the White Sox lineup a needed veteran boost ahead of the Angels series.
Prior to a new series against the Los Angeles Angels, which gets underway Monday night at Rate Field, the Chicago White Sox have made a roster move, placing utility man Tanner Murray on the injured list.
Murray made a diving catch in the top of the 10th inning during Sunday afternoon’s game against the Washington Nationals, but as he landed in left-center field, he was clearly in pain with a left shoulder injury.
It comes as no surprise that Murray has landed on the injured list. He’s been placed on the 10-day IL with a left shoulder dislocation, and outfielder Austin Hays has been recalled to rejoin the White Sox.
Hays was in the middle of a rehab stint with Triple-A Charlotte as he worked his way back from a hamstring injury. He played in two games with Charlotte, launching a home run in one and appearing in left field in the other, doing a little bit of everything on his road back to Chicago.
This is a clear upgrade for the White Sox from an offensive standpoint. Hays was signed as a free agent in the offseason to provide a steady veteran presence for Chicago. Even when he wasn’t swinging the bat particularly well through the first nine games of the season, he still drove in six runs and came through in key situations with runners in scoring position. He was also riding a four-game hitting streak before the injury and will look to pick up right where he left off on Monday.
The real question here is whether Murray will still have a spot on the White Sox roster once he recovers. He was initially called up when Everson Pereira landed on the IL on April 5, and when Hays went down just a few days later, it created an opportunity for Murray—a natural infielder who can also handle a corner outfield spot—to get playing time at the big league level.
Murray appeared in 13 games for the White Sox, hitting one home run with a .214 batting average and a .603 OPS. While the White Sox value his versatility, it’s unclear who would be sent down to make room for him once he returns.
Sam Antonacci’s arrival in Chicago as another natural infielder who has found a home in left field this season makes Murray more expendable.
Everson Pereira, Derek Hill, and Luisangel Acuña are all out of minor league options, and it’s hard to see the White Sox designating one of them for assignment just to keep Murray on the MLB bench. Perhaps Tristan Peters becomes the odd man out, but with Hays back in the fold and a very right-handed-heavy bench, Chicago may prefer to keep Peters around as a left-handed option who can also serve as a more natural defensive substitute in center field than Murray.
First pitch between the White Sox and Angels on Monday night is set for 6:40 p.m. as Chicago looks to get its bats going again and bounce back from a slow offensive weekend against Washington.