MINNEAPOLIS — With nothing to play for and no need to put stress on a healing injury, the White Sox are shutting down shortstop Tim Anderson for the rest of the season, manager Miguel Cairo said before the Sox played the Twins in Minneapolis Tuesday night.
Anderson, who had surgery to repair a torn sarepair a sagittal band tear on the middle finger of his left hand on Aug. 11, was aiming to return for the final two weeks of the season.
Anderson has been taking ground balls and taking live batting practice for more than a week.
“We’re going to shut it down for the rest of the season and that’s the best thing for him,” Cairo said. “You don’t want him to re-injure the hand. He’s still doing a lot of work and treatment but we need to get it 100 percent for next year.”
Cairo also indicated that right-hander Michael Kopech won’t pitch again this season, which was expected. Kopech landed on the IL with right shoulder inflammation on Sept. 17 and didn’t figure to return unless the Sox were in contention in the American League Central. The Guardians clinched the division Sunday.
The Sox take a 76-77 record and six-game losing streak into the game Tuesday.
General manager Rick Hahn said Saturday that Kopech’s shoulder is fine, but has also dealt with issues in both knees this season and will have a cyst removed from the back of the right knee in the off-season, Hahn said.
In Anderson’s case, “it would have been different if we were in the hunt for the playoffs, of course,” Cairo said. “It’s better to be safe.”
Anderson is traveling with the team on the road trip. He batted .301/.339/.395 with six homers, 13 stolen bases and 21 RBI in 79 games. He made the All-Star Game for the second consecutive season.
Zavala on concussion IL
Catcher Seby Zavala landed on the seven-day concussion list (retroactive to September 26) and recalled catcher Carlos P?rez from Triple-A Charlotte.
Cairo said there was no incident that caused a concussion, but said Zavala was feeling “a little bit” dizzy after catching Sunday’s loss to the Tigers at Guaranteed Rate Field “and went to the trainer, did all the protocol and all that stuff. We’re better to be safe.”
“He finished the game. But it wasn’t a foul ball or anything.”
P?rez is hitting .254/.316/.450 with 21 home runs in 109 games this season with Charlotte, ranking second on the Knights in home runs, RBI (76) and total bases (188). P?rez appeared in two games on August 26-27 during his first stint with the White Sox, going 1–for4.
Zavala is hitting .270 with two homers and 21 RBI in 61 games for the Sox.
