Acquired from the Tigers on July 30, 2013, in a three-team trade that sent Jake Peavy from the White Sox to the Red Sox, Avisail Garcia initially was viewed as a piece to build around.
“If he is able to hit at the level we think he’s able to hit at, hit for the power we feel he’s able to do, play defense and run, he’s going to be doing a lot of things on a daily basis to help you win,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said shortly after landing Garcia.
Over the past three-plus seasons, Garcia has shown flashes of ability in all of those areas, but he never has been a consistent performer.
And Garcia has not helped the Sox win games.
The 25-year-old designated hitter/right fielder is very likely in his final season on the South Side, but how many more games will he play?
That’s the obvious question after Garcia landed on the 15-day disabled list before the White Sox beat the Royals 7-5 in 10 innings Tuesday night at Kansas City.
Leading the 4-3 in the ninth inning, the Royals scored a run off Sox closer David Robertson to force extra innings.
Chris Sale again had nothing to show for a strong start. The ace left-hander pitched 7 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits to go with 7 strikeouts.
With two outs in the fifth inning, the White Sox scored 3 runs off K.C. starter Edinson Volquez to take the lead. Justin Morneau’s RBI single put the Sox in front 4-3.
Robertson couldn’t nail down the save in the ninth, but the Sox took the lead right back in the 10th inning on Todd Frazier’s 3-run homer off Kelvin Herrera.
As for Garcia, he is out with a sprained right knee.
The White Sox have been victimized by strange injuries throughout the season, particularly with prospects playing in their first game.
Catcher Kevan Smith went down with a back injury about an hour before his major-league debut, and Matt Davidson (broken foot) and Charlie Pilson (torn hamstring) suffered serious injuries in their first games with the Sox.
Before the all-star break, starting pitcher Carlos Rodon tripped and fell coming out of the dugout for the national anthem and went on the DL with a sprained left wrist.
Garcia sprained his knee stretching in the on-deck circle during Saturday’s game against the Orioles.
“I was stretching and felt my knee pop,” Garcia told reporters in Kansas City. “I continued to play the game because I didn’t feel anything. At home, when I woke up, it started hurting a lot. I feel much better now.”
Batting .240 with 9 home runs and 36 RBI in another disappointing season, Garcia hit 3 home runs in five games before the injury.
“Every time I start hitting again, something happens,” Garcia said. “You have to deal with it, it’s part of this game. You can be mad later, the hurt is going to be there.”
Outfielder Jason Coats, who collided with J.B. Shuck in his first game with the White Sox this season, came up from Class AAA Charlotte to take Garcia’s roster spot.