There's no doubting that Leury García has $5 million of utility to any ball club, but I had my reservations about the three-year deal he signed with the White Sox because of his tendency to find himself a little too involved with some very important plans. He shouldn't be starting in a corner outfield spot two postseasons in a row, and yet two different managers have felt compelled to put him there.
The reason he's starting at shortstop and batting sixth on Opening Day is different -- Tim Anderson is serving a two-game suspension to start the season, and Yoán Moncada is out -- but there's always some logic that puts him in the middle of things.
At least we're seeing the benefits of the trade for AJ Pollock. With Anderson out, Pollock is a natural choice for a backup leadoff man.
TV: NBC Sports Chicago
Time: 12:10 p.m. CT
Lineups:
| Order | White Sox | Tigers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AJ Pollock, RF | Robbie Grossman, RF |
| 2 | Luis Robert, CF | Austin Meadows, LF |
| 3 | José Abreu, 1B | Javier Báez, SS |
| 4 | Yasmani Grandal, C | Jeimer Candelario, 3B |
| 5 | Eloy Jiménez, LF | Miguel Cabrera, DH |
| 6 | Leury García, SS | Jonathan Schoop, 2B |
| 7 | Josh Harrison, 2B | Akil Baddoo, CF |
| 8 | Andrew Vaughn, DH | Spencer Torkelson, 1B |
| 9 | Jake Burger, 3B | Tucker Barnhart, C |
| SP | Lucas Giolito, RHP | Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP |
Weather: At the moment, it's raining.
