Benintendi won't push for Opening Day return: 'We'll be smart about it'

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The goal for Andrew Benintendi is to be in the White Sox Opening Day lineup when they host the Angels on March 27 at Rate Field.

But with an estimated 4-6 week absence due to a non-displaced fracture just below the knuckle on his right pinkie finger, Benintendi¡¯s target might fall under the category of ambitious but potentially unattainable.

¡°We¡¯ll X-ray it to see how it¡¯s healing and if it is healing, you can get pretty aggressive with these things,¡± general manager Chris Getz said on Friday morning prior to the White Sox 3-2 loss to the Angels in Tempe. ¡°But conservatively speaking, that could be a little quick.¡±

¡°Yeah, probably too soon to say,¡± said Benintendi, who would need to be swinging the bat and in games in the next two or three weeks to have an Opening Day chance. ¡°James [Kruk], our [head athletic] trainer, knows how I am when it comes to this kind of stuff. I¡¯ll try to push the bar, but we¡¯ll be smart about it, too.¡±

Benintendi, beginning his third season as part of the White Sox, sustained the injury when taking a Logan Allen two-seamer flush on the right hand during the first inning of Thursday¡¯s 4-2 victory over the Guardians at Camelback Ranch. He was immediately removed for pinch-runner Brooks Baldwin.

Although the White Sox left fielder hadn¡¯t been in the training room at the time he met with the media, Benintendi was guessing there¡¯s not much aside from rest to be done for the injury right now.

¡°It kind of surprised me. That guy throws in a lot I guess to me,¡± Benintendi said. ¡°He throws that slider that starts behind you so you have to stick in there with heaters. He threw a sinker and it kind of just caught me.

¡°You see guys now trying to pitch in, you see guys get hit on the hands all the time. Especially more recently. It kind of stinks. You miss four-to-six weeks. It¡¯s part of the game.¡±

Getz has four veteran outfielders in camp making guaranteed money -- Luis Robert Jr., Mike Tauchman, Michael A. Taylor and Austin Slater -- but will look at creative roster construction without Benintendi in the current mix. The GM¡¯s biggest focus is getting Benintendi healthy, but he also will explore outside options.

¡°There could be someone out there,¡± Getz of potentially going into free agency. ¡°No one jumps out that makes sense for us that¡¯s not with the organization, but we have to remain open-minded as we work through Spring Training. We have players that have outs in their contracts with other organizations and roster decisions are going to be made for Opening Day, a guy might get squeezed off a roster.

¡°Look at waivers. So there are a lot of different opportunities for guys who can help you. Regardless of injuries, we¡¯re always looking for those types of things.¡±

While he¡¯s inactive, Benintendi still will do anything he can to stay up to speed hitting-wise.

¡°So far you are trying to feel out timing and get some looks at guys,¡± Benintendi said. ¡°You know, obviously this kind of stings because you want to get your timing down before meaningful games. I think we are going to do everything we can.

¡°Even today, I feel like I can make a fist and grab, but you have to let the bone heal. Hopefully it¡¯s less than four weeks. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll talk to them today and we¡¯ll come up with a plan, and see what happens. I want to be out there by Opening Day but time will tell.¡±

Montgomery not worried

Having back spasms on your birthday, as Colson Montgomery did when turning 23 on Thursday, is not the ideal gift. But while the shortstop and No. 39 prospect overall, per MLB Pipeline, is listed as day to day, he¡¯s not worried about anything long term with the mid-to-lower back issue.

¡°It was just a little muscle spasm,¡± Montgomery said on Friday. ¡°It locked up on me.

¡°I¡¯m not worried at all. I¡¯ve played through these things before, but there¡¯s a time and a place to play through some stuff and right now is not the time. That¡¯s what everybody has been telling me.¡±

This current pain is not comparable to a back issue Montgomery dealt with during Spring Training in 2023, contributing to him being out until June.

¡°Yesterday, it was tight for the whole day, but we did some stuff yesterday and I¡¯ve been in the training room already doing a little bit of working out, just a little core stuff,¡± Montgomery said. ¡°It feels better already.¡±

Third to first

Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, the top two left-handed pitching prospects in the game (No. 16 and No. 34 overall) per MLB Pipeline, are scheduled for another Cactus League outing, according to Getz.

It¡¯s still too early to decide the next step for reliever Prelander Berroa, who has been sidelined by a Grade 1 elbow strain since the Cactus League opener.