Gavin Sheets didn’t get to play during his first stint with the Chicago White Sox in early June.
But he took a lot away from the experience.
“The biggest thing was how much fun these guys have here, the winning atmosphere inside the clubhouse and how great the stadium is,” Sheets said Tuesday.
The Sox recalled Sheets from Triple-A Charlotte before Tuesday’s game against the Minnesota Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field, and he was in the lineup in right field for his major-league debut.
“A lot of hard work went in behind this,” Sheets said. “And it’s exciting to see it pay off, but more importantly, coming to help this team out. We’re still in first place and playing a rival. It’s fun for that to be the first start.”
Sheets singled in the second in his first major-league at-bat, and he added two RBIs on a third-inning fielder’s choice and a fifth-inning double. His return was one of four roster moves the Sox announced Tuesday.
They reinstated outfielder Billy Hamilton from the injured list, placed outfielder/infielder Jake Lamb on the 10-day IL retroactive to Monday with a strained right quadriceps and optioned outfielder Luis González to Charlotte.
Sheets was with the Sox on June 3-4. He is slashing .292/.352/.472 with eight doubles, seven home runs, 33 RBIs and 23 runs in 41 games for Charlotte.
“Just putting together the pieces that I’ve worked on since 2017,” he said of the success in Charlotte. “Hitting for power, having the hit tool as well, not being an all-or-nothing guy, which was always a big thing for me.”
The Sox selected Sheets in the second round of the 2017 draft out of Wake Forest. The son of former major-leaguer Larry Sheets has played 26 games at first base — his natural position — 15 in right field and two in left for Charlotte.
“Made a real good impression in spring training, also defensively when he moved to the outfield, he made a lot of good plays,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “But he has been doing the job in Charlotte and we could use some explosion out there when he comes to bat.”
Hamilton went on the IL on June 6 with a strained right oblique. He is slashing .217/.246/.406 with three doubles, two triples, two home runs, 10 RBIs, 13 runs and five stolen bases in 36 games.
“It’s big for me to get out there to do what I can to help the team,” Hamilton said. “If I can do whatever I can to help them, I’m going to do that.”
Hamilton, a switch hitter, plans on batting exclusively from the right side for now.
“Right-handed (hitting), it felt great, and every time I did it left-handed, it came back,” he said. “I’m fine running, fielding. It’s not even all swings left-handed. It’s certain swings when I extend my hand or extend my arms or get in where I miss a ball, that’s when I feel it the most.”
While Hamilton is back, the Sox lost Lamb, who is slashing .224/.333/.424 with five home runs, 10 RBIs and 16 runs in 31 games.
La Russa said Lamb’s injury occurred while “just running, moving, chasing balls down, and he’s been active on the bases.”
“When they did the MRI, it was in there where you could see it was more than just a ‘hang with it’ for two or three days,” La Russa said. “It’s going to be at least a 10-day. But I don’t think it’s all that serious where it won’t heal sooner than later.”
He joins fellow outfielders Eloy Jiménez, Luis Robert, Adam Eaton and Adam Engel on the IL. Robert has been medically cleared to increase his level of baseball activities at the team’s complex in Glendale, Ariz., the Sox announced Tuesday. Jiménez received clearance to resume baseball activities in Glendale on June 14.
González went 2-for-8 with two doubles, three walks and two runs in six games with the Sox after being recalled from Charlotte on June 22. He collected his first major-league hit June 23 in Pittsburgh.
First baseman José Abreu (bruised left knee) was back in the lineup Tuesday, but third baseman Yoán Moncada sat out because his “(right) shoulder’s barking,” according to La Russa.
“I know he got some treatment and he’s still not right, so just not going to push it,” La Russa said. “He’s had some issues with it, some already during the first half of the season. He gets treated, he gets exercises. Might he play (Wednesday)? Maybe, but it would be nice to try to get it where he’s not sore.”
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