White Sox Shortstop Tim Anderson was removed from tonight’s game with the Angels after suffering a thigh muscle injury while trying to strike a foundation to first base. According to the official announcement of the Sox, Anderson is daily with tightness in his left thigh muscle.
Leury Garcia he took over for Anderson shortly before the end of the first innings, and Garcia is the likely fill-in should Anderson need time on the injured list. Further depth of field is available in the form of Danny Mendick at a minor level, plus other MLB experienced players like Matt Reynolds, Marco Hernandez, en Tim Beckham who was in the camp for minor transactions.
Of course, there is no way to easily replace Anderson, who has emerged as one of the sport’s best hits over the past two seasons. Anderson scored .331 / .357 / .514 (130 OPS +, 133 wRC +) with 28 home runs over 739 PA in 2019-20, winning the AL bat title in 2019 and a Silver Slugger award last season. The White Sox have already missed one of their biggest bats in Eloy Jimenez (who will miss most of the season to recover after surgery to repair a broken breast) as well as the fourth fielder Adam Engel, which is eliminated with a thigh muscle injury of its own.