It didn’t take long for Adam Engel to contribute in his return to the Chicago White Sox.
Detroit Tigers leadoff batter Akil Baddoo hit a sinking liner to center in the first inning Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field. Engel raced in and made the catch.
“Looks like the leg works,” Engel said he told right fielder Adam Eaton.
Engel went 0-for-2 and was hit by a pitch in the 3-0 victory, his first game of the season after recovering from a strained right hamstring.
“I’m really excited to get back out there,” Engel said.
He provided his trademark strong defense, including jumping at the wall to rob Niko Goodrum of a home run in the fifth inning.
“Anytime you get to make a play for your pitcher, it’s a special play,” Engel said. “As a defender, that’s our job to go out there and make your pitcher feel comfortable. Let him know if he does his job and throws strikes, we are going to do our job and play good defense behind him.”
The Sox reinstated Engel from the injured list before the game, while outfielder Billy Hamilton went on the 10-day IL with a right oblique strain.
Hamilton is slashing .217/.246/.406 with three doubles, two triples, two home runs, 10 RBIs, 13 runs and five stolen bases in 36 games with the Sox.
The training staff checked on Hamilton during his fourth-inning at-bat in Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the Tigers. He completed the at-bat but exited before the fifth.
Engel went on the IL retroactive to March 29 after suffering his injury during a March 20 Cactus League game against the Cleveland Indians. A setback in his rehabilitation delayed his return.
“I was hoping that the initial injury was only going to be for a couple weeks, and obviously once the setback happened, here we are in June and I’m getting to play in my first game,” Engel said before Sunday’s game. “It was really hard. The best way to describe it is feeling like the team was better with me being in the lineup … or me being available no matter what role that was.
“I really care about this team a lot, so it was hard to see that and experience that. I’m glad I get to put that behind me.”
Engel went 8-for-28 with two doubles, one home run, three RBIs and four runs in seven games during a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte.
“It felt good to get back out there and things went well the last couple weeks, so I’m excited to get back with the big-league club,” Engel said.
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