Pregame notes: Munetaka Murakami returns

The White Sox have lost a season-high three games in a row and are the only MLB team yet to lose four consecutive games at any point this season. They're tied for first place in an AL Central where four teams, including the resurgent Detroit Tigers, are within five games of the division lead.

But Munetaka Murakami has been activated off the injured list, so pretty much every question in Will Venable's pregame media availability was at least Murakami-adjacent.

"Mune’s back in the house," said Venable, who provided a helpful rundown of how Murakami has been good. "Just very consistent. The defensive stuff, running the bases well and then obviously at the plate, doing a lot of good stuff. The swing decisions, being able to hit the ball extremely hard and in the air. And when he does that, obviously, it’s going over the fence. He was still progressing pretty substantially, where early on we just saw the homers and then started using the whole field and hitting some singles on the backside. And really been challenged with different types of pitches, both from lefties and righties, see him make those adjustments. A lot of growth and obviously a lot of good stuff from him."

Murakami is back at exactly the six-week benchmark the Sox estimated as the high-end amount of time he would miss for a Grade 2 hamstring strain. But he only had two rehab games with Triple-A Charlotte, so the Sox need to find some place to insert some caution to his return to play. Venable said it's not determined what day yet, but that Murakami will DH at some point in this series.

Also, that fun little stretch of basestealing he had right before his injury? That's done.

"He’s not going to be stealing any bases," Venable said. "At least not before the break here. We’ll be mindful of that and more than anything, these guys get going and they have the really big workload, maybe it’s not just what they’ve done that game. You keep adding volume with those stolen bases, it can hurt you. I know it’s part of his game, he might be able to do. But we want to keep him healthy, so for now, no. No stolen bases."

Would flying out to Philadelphia for the Home Run Derby be too much added workload for Murakami, fresh off injury? A scoreboard graphic that the White Sox had up for less than a minute during the end of batting practice would suggest otherwise!

As the game began, the White Sox announced that Murakami has been added to the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game itself. Sox Machine was never nervous that our All-Star Game coverage would be limited to Miguel Vargas and Caleb Bonemer. Not even for a second.

As if the visiting A's didn't have enough problems, entering this series on a six-game skid, with Jacob Lopez opening for Old Friend Aaron Civale, they also placed both Zack Gelof and Nick Kurtz on the injured list on Friday.

Kurtz's right thumb capsule strain likely opens up a spot for a first baseman on the American League All-Star game entirely, in addition to the yet-to-be finalized Derby field. So Murakami could be quite busy next week after all.

Jacob Gonzalez was optioned to make room for Murakami. As many have noted, with a .351/.400/.541 over his last 12 games, he was not the least productive position player. What he does have are remaining options, and what he lacks is a defined role outside of a left-handed hitting first baseman. Gonzalez was playing primarily shortstop at Triple-A Charlotte and has manned every part of the infield diamond as a professional, but Venable downplayed the idea of him getting any outfield reps and one inning at third base was his only dalliance with another position while in Chicago.

"Personally for his development, it’s really good to kind of point back to this first half and see where he’s come from, and not just a guy who established himself but really was a big part of our success this year," Venable said. "Mune gets hurt and he steps in and fills in, in such a major way. It was important for him to go down and get at-bats. Maybe those regular at-bats weren’t here for him. He earned our trust and we are looking forward to utilizing him at some point down the road. For right now, the regular at-bats weren’t there for him."

Gonzalez is starting at third base in his first game back with the Knights.

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I don't know who really needs to hear this right now, but Sam Antonacci is the team's emergency catcher.

First pitch: White Sox vs. Athletics

TV: CHSN

Radio: ESPN 1000 AM, 107.9 FM La Ley (Spanish)

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