Miguel Vargas, the White Sox’ big acquisition before the trade deadline July 30, is pressing too hard as he tries to impress in his new surroundings, interim manager Grady Sizemore seemed to be implying Saturday.
“When you’re coming into an organization, you want to impress people, and you want to just go off,” Sizemore said before the Sox’ game against the Tigers. “When that doesn’t happen right away, sometimes you put a little bit more pressure on yourself to get the result instead of just focusing on the process.”
Acquired from the Dodgers as part of the three-team deal that sent Michael Kopech to Los Angeles and Erick Fedde and Tommy Pham to the Cardinals, Vargas has gotten off to a slow start with the Sox. Entering Saturday, he was hitting .093 in 16 games. In his previous 10 games, he was 2-for-30.
But Sizemore likes some of what he has seen from Vargas at the plate. Through Friday, he had taken eight walks since the deal.
He also is getting more playing time than he was with the Dodgers, one of baseball’s best teams with a stacked lineup that included him only 30 times in two stints this year. The Sox, obviously, are not in the same category.
“I know coming to a new organization and a new team and a new lineup, you definitely are trying to feel comfortable and get in there, get in the swing of things,” Sizemore said. “I think he’s actually been giving us good at-bats. He’s not chasing a lot; he puts the ball in play. Sometimes it just takes a game or two to get your timing down and maybe just get some hits to take some of the pressure off.”
That’s not why Vargas didn’t start Wednesday in San Francisco or Friday against the Tigers. Sizemore explained that the Sox could be facing a handful of left-handers over their next two series and that other players needed at-bats. Sizemore said that he wanted to get Lenyn Sosa and Nicky Lopez chances Friday.
“I’m trying to navigate and get everyone as many reps as I can, so they can feel comfortable and not lose their timing,” he said.
Vargas returned to the lineup Saturday, hitting seventh and playing third base. He went 0-for-4.
Sheets starts
Before Saturday, Gavin Sheets was a lifetime .155 hitter against left-handed pitchers. But Sheets has been the Sox’ best hitter of late, going 21-for-50 in his last 15 games.
Sizemore chose to start Sheets at first base even against Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal, the runaway favorite for the American League Cy Young Award. Sheets has been giving the Sox “competitive” at-bats every night, Sizemore said.
“A lot of the guys have been stepping up and having great at-bats, specifically [Sheets],” Sizemore said. “He seems to have a big at-bat in big moments, whether it’s getting a rally going or getting guys in. I’m finding it hard to take him out of the lineup.”
Extending records
On Friday, Enyel De Los Santos became the 59th player (and 31st pitcher) to appear for the Sox this season, extending the franchise record. The previous mark was last year’s 56.