KANSAS CITY -- Adam Eaton’s injury isn’t as bad as first feared after a jammed left shoulder that forced him from Friday’s game required an MRI.
The White Sox center fielder received an “all clear” from doctors after he made a running catch in the bottom of the fourth inning and landed hard on the shoulder in the first of a three-game series at the Kansas City Royals.
Eaton -- who has a .268/.345/.420 slash line in 450 plate appearances through Friday’s game -- is listed as day to day, though he said would like to play in Saturday’s game. The leadoff man has been bothered by the shoulder since he dove for a fly ball in Cleveland two weeks ago.
“I feel all right,” Eaton said. “We had an MRI. We had an X-ray. All’s clear. I’ve been dealing with it a couple of weeks. The day off or whatever was kind of shoulder tightness, but I’m feeling better. We’ll be day to day. If I had my way, I would be in there tomorrow, so we’ll see what Skip thinks.”
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The injury appeared to be serious as left fielder Melky Cabrera immediately waved for assistance from White Sox trainer Herm Schneider after Eaton went down. Eaton was able to get back up under his own power, though he gingerly walked off the field.
“It was enough to take him out,” manager Robin Ventura said. “He did something to irritate it. At first I was a little worried that it would be a separated shoulder. I don’t think that is what it is, but we will get more of it as they get to check into it. But it was enough to take him out. He really couldn’t do anything and he knew right away. It was enough that we will have to get him checked out.”
MLB
Rookie Trayce Thompson took over for Eaton in center field. Thompson singled and doubled in his only at-bats.