Injured Soto doing his best to help White Sox away from field
Even though they're rebuilding, the Chicago White Sox signed veteran catcher Geovany Soto to a one-year contract this season.
Wanting to be competitive while transitioning the roster from old to young, Soto's offensive abilities appealed to the Sox.
And, as they discovered in 2015 when he played for the White Sox, Soto's leadership qualities and positive outlook were equally enticing.
Staying healthy has always been the issue, and after landing on the disabled list twice in the first six weeks of the season with elbow inflammation, Soto had surgery on May 16. He has yet to return.
With time running out, does the 34-year-old Soto anticipate being back in uniform with the Sox this season?
"To be honest, I want to believe so," Soto said. "But nothing is definite. We still have to see how everything responds. Everything has been going great. I want to feed off of that and worry about that right now."
Soto had surgery to remove loose bodies from the elbow.
"Physically, everything is 100 percent inside the arm," he said. "They are just waiting on the healing and on the process of strengthening. Physically, everything else feels 100 percent."
In 13 games with the White Sox, Soto batted .190 with 3 home runs and 9 RBI.
He is usually rehabbing at Guaranteed Rate Field, so Soto's had a chance to talk with current catchers Omar Narvaez and Kevan Smith, and he always makes himself available to the Sox' growing list of young players.
"We have great guys here," Soto said. "The most important thing is they come up here and they want to learn and get with the program. A lot of them, they talk among each other. They look for help. It's really refreshing to see.
"We are here to help them, guide them and let them know what they are probably going to see out there that we've seen before."
With Soto's help, Narvaez and Smith have both called their own games this season despite having limited major-league experience.
Manager Rick Renteria appreciates Soto's willingness to help the cause while being on the disabled list.
"His experience, his time, conversations when he's watching catchers take a hitter through a particular sequence, he might once (Narvaez or Smith) come in, share with them the confirmation they did a nice job," Renteria said. "Give them validation as to what they did in that particular situation or talk them through a little and something they might have done a little differently in order to help a pitcher through. (Soto) has been around a lot.
"He can see things from the dugout. He can see what the catchers are doing. He can see what the pitchers are doing. He can continue to help relate the type of conversations and type of thinking they should have in particular moments."
Soto leaned on veterans like Henry Blanco and Michael Barrett when he broke in with the Cubs a decade ago, so he's happy to return the favor to Narvaez and Smith.
"I try to help them out, give them my two cents of whatever the situation might be," Soto said. "I just want to be able to be here for them."
Scouting report
White Sox vs. Detroit Tigers at Guaranteed Rate Field
TV: Comcast SportsNet today and Saturday; WGN Sunday
Radio: WLS 890-AM
Pitching matchups: The Sox's Miguel Gonzalez (7-10) vs. Justin Verlander (9-8) Friday at 7:10 p.m.; Carlos Rodon (2-4) vs. TBA Saturday at 6:10 p.m.; Lucas Giolito (0-1) vs. Matthew Boyd (5-7) Sunday at 1:10 p.m.
At a glance: The White Sox are 6-6 vs. Tigers, who enter the series after Thursday's brawl-filled win over the Yankees. Gonzalez can still be traded, and the right-hander has been good of late (2-0, 0.90 ERA in last 3 starts). Verlander is 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in his last 3 starts, but the veteran right-hander is 3-6 with a 5.24 ERA on the road this season.
Next: Minnesota Twins at Target Field, Tuesday-Thursday
- Scot Gregor