Chicago White Sox option Palka (1-for-35) to Class AAA Charlotte
Daniel Palka finally got a hit Wednesday, but it wasn't enough to save his roster spot with the Chicago White Sox.
Following Wednesday afternoon's 4-3 loss to the Royals in 10 innings, Palka was optioned to Class AAA Charlotte.
"Just to see if we can get him back on track," manager Rick Renteria said. "He's been grinding and working really, really hard to try to put himself in a good position for us. We just told him to keep his head up, get some at-bats, put himself in a good position and be ready to go when we make the call."
Ryan Cordell is likely to come up from Charlotte and replace Palka.
Heading into Wednesday, Palka was 0-for-32 to start the season.
He finally snapped the slide with a pinch-hit single in the seventh inning, but Palka grounded into a double play with the bases loaded in the eighth.
"Ultimately, I just have to get back on my game," he said. "That's all it is. So, the plan is to go down and get back in rhythm and when they need a bat, hopefully I'm that bat.
"Just a rough stretch. But you know, I think it makes you better. A lot of overthinking and it's a good thing to get past. Just go down and get right and hopefully I can help out the team later on."
Last year, Palka opened the season at Charlotte after being claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Twins. He batted .286 with 3 home runs and 7 RBI in 17 games before joining the White Sox on April 24.
Among American League rookies, Palka wound up tying for first with 27 home runs and was third with 67 RBI.
The pop is there, but Palka totally understands why he is being demoted.
"The numbers kind of speak for themselves," he said. "So, you know, competitively speaking, I myself would have done it earlier. I'm glad I got a chance. I'll be working."
Helping hand:
After making 3 bad starts to open the year, Reynaldo Lopez got his season turned around in Tuesday night's win over Kansas City.
"It was focusing on control," Lopez said through a translator. "I wasn't trying to do too much."
Before pitching 6 innings and allowing 1 run on 5 hits and 2 walks, Lopez got some advice from veteran rotation mate Ivan Nova.
"He told me something that's true," Lopez said. "The first pitch, the first strike doesn't necessarily have to be a fastball. I was thinking of that and it's true. I was mixing my pitches. I threw a few changeups for a strike on the first pitch, sliders, too, and the fastball was very good.
"That was something that kept me thinking and I put it in the game and the results were good. He's a veteran and you have to take advice from other people, too."