MLB Player News

Manager Tony La Russa indicated Saturday that Jimenez (hamstring) could return next week, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

General manager Chris Getz said Friday that Jimenez has been getting more comfortable with his legs during his rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte, and the 25-year-old appears to be closing in on a return in the coming days. La Russa said Saturday that the White Sox could ease Jimenez into action by giving him chances to serve as the designated hitter once he's ultimately activated. Over his eight games since resuming his rehab assignment, he's hit .167 with a homer, four runs and three RBI.

Winker, who is in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Athletics, has had his suspension reduced to six games, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Winker was initially issued a seven-game suspension for his role in a brawl during last Sunday's game against the Angels, but he had his punishment reduced by one matchup following his appeal. Since he's starting in left field and batting second Saturday, he presumably won't begin to serve his suspension until at least Sunday.

Manager Dusty Baker said Saturday that Brantley (shoulder) hasn't yet resumed hitting, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Brantley landed on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder discomfort Tuesday, and Baker said that the injury has "responded kind of slow" so far. Baker acknowledged that Brantley might not be able to return when first eligible July 7, and the team figures to take a cautious approach to prevent a more significant injury.

Alvarez (head) is starting Saturday's game against the Angels.

Alvarez missed the last two games after sustaining a head injury during a collision Wednesday, but he'll serve as the designated hitter and bat third Saturday. Over his last eight games, he's slashed .360/.484/.960 with five homers, nine RBI and eight runs.

Choi isn't starting the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Choi went 2-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout Friday but will be out of the lineup for Saturday's matinee. Harold Ramirez is serving as the designated hitter and batting third.

White Sox assistant general manager Chris Getz said that Jimenez (hamstring) is "getting more comfortable with his legs" while on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Getz further stated, "It's just a matter of him [Jimenez] getting comfortable with it. When you have an injury like that, there is going to be some competitiveness and getting him to where he doesn't have to think about his hamstring, just go out and play baseball." On a more optimistic note, Getz also offered that Jimenez's sprint speed and time to first base is improving, so there has been progress made. That provides some hope that Jimenez will be activated from the injured list fairly soon, though the exact timing remains unclear.

Alvarez (head) remains out of the lineup Friday against the Angels, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Jeremy Pena, meanwhile, is back in the lineup after the collision with Alvarez on Wednesday. Clearly Alvarez is worse off than Pena, but there is still little clarity on Alvarez's condition. Alvarez remains day-to-day and on the active roster at this time.

Winker went 2-for-4 with a double and a run in a win over the Athletics on Thursday.

Winker produced one of two multi-hit efforts of the night for Seattle, pushing his season slash line to an uneven .235/.353/.351. The 28-year-old is still awaiting word on his appeal of the suspension he received for igniting an ugly brawl against the Angels on Sunday, and he's now boasting a .412/.524/.706 slash line with 12 extra-base hits across his last 10 games.

Lewis (concussion) took batting practice again Tuesday and added sprint drills out of the batter's box following his final swing of each round, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.

Lewis was also wearing elastic stretch bands on his right leg, which were designed to help him with his running form and ensure his surgically repaired knee remained elevated upon his initial burst. The slugging outfielder is unsure of a return date, and he noted he remained bedridden for the first week following his concussion due to his sensitivity to bright lights and loud sounds. However, the fact he's now consistently elevating his heart rate during baseball activities could be the final step before he's cleared for a minor-league rehab assignment.

Choi isn't in the lineup Thursday against the Blue Jays.

Although Choi started against a left-handed pitcher Wednesday, he'll get a breather with southpaw Yusei Kikuchi on the mound Thursday. Harold Ramirez is serving as the designated hitter and batting third.