GLENDALE, Ariz. — Left fielder Andrew Benintendi took live batting practice for the first time Monday since suffering a broken in his right hand. If all goes well, Benentindi will be the designated hitter in the White Sox’ Cactus League game at the Brewers Wednesday as he clings to hope of starting the season with the rest of his teammates.
“Any Opening Day is exciting,” Benintendi said. “Start of a new chapter. Everybody is excited to get out here and play meaningful games.”
Benintendi hasn’t played in a game in 18 days after Guardians lefty Logan Allen hit him on the hand with a pitch. Benintendi suffered a non-displace fracture of a bone beneath his pinky knuckle.
“I feel a lot better than I anticipated,” Benintendi said. “Things kind of progressed better than we thought.
“The bone itself is healed. At this point it’s just pain tolerance.”
Benintendi said he has been hitting for four or five days. The swing isn’t affected much, he said, although it won’t feel 100% until the 4-6 week original timetable concludes.
As for how many at-bats he’ll need to be ready, Benintendi said “I guess we’ll find out. We’ll see where we’re at. But pretty confident that it won’t be overwhelming.”
Benintendi is entering the 10th season of his career.
“Definitely don’t want to miss Opening Day,” he said. “You want to be in this clubhouse with these guys playing. If it takes a little pain swinging a bat to do it, so be it.”
Manager Will Venable said Benintendi being ready for the opener “sounds like a possibility.”
“We still just take it day by day and respect the fact he’s working hard to get back healthy and we want to happen quickly, but we’ll be responsible and kind of take it day by day.”
Venable said he was surprised by Benintendi’s rapid progress.
“I thought these things took longer,” he said. “But yeah, credit to Beni for getting in there and getting treatment and obviously it’s working. Whatever he’s eating, whatever he’s doing is expediting this thing. Surprised but really good news.”
Rojas has hairline fracture
The news for infielder Josh Rojas is not as good. Venable said Rojas suffered a hairline fracture making a tag at third base Saturday.
It wasn’t immediately known how much time Rojas will need to be ready to play.
“Hopefully he’s back here with us soon,” Venable said.
“From what I’ve heard, it’s pain tolerance. I don’t think there’s anything he can do running around out there that’s going to make it worse. It’s about him being comfortable and running out there. But obviously it’s fractured. He’s in some pain now. So we’ll give him his time to heal up and just do everything we can to support him.”