After cold start, Sheets getting smoothed out at the plate
When Yoan Moncada was activated off the injured list on Monday after missing the first 27 games of the season with an oblique injury, Jake Burger was optioned to Class AAA Charlotte to clear a roster spot.
The move made sense for the White Sox, considering Moncada and Burger both play third base. But Gavin Sheets was also a candidate to be sent down, based on his performance.
Mired in a 4-for-32 slump heading into Monday night's game against Cleveland, Sheets was batting .203 overall and was stuck on 1 home run and 3 RBI.
"I haven't been swinging the bat well," Sheets said. "I feel like I haven't been carrying my weight around here."
The poor showing at the plate seemed to carry over into the field, and Sheets dropped a routine line drive while playing right field in Monday's disturbing 12-9 extra-inning loss to Cleveland.
As a rookie last year, Sheets had his predictable struggles with the bat but he managed to hit .250 with 11 homers and 34 RBI in 54 games while giving the Sox a needed threat from the left side.
As he slumbered early this season, Sheets had a talk with manager Tony La Russa before Monday night's game vs. the Guardians.
"Just the basics," La Russa said. "His swing's gotten big. He's trying to hit for power and like a lot of hitters he's in between. The fact is, with as strong as he is the closer he can hit to .300 or above it, the more RBIs, the more home runs, the more everything.
"So it's just the basic left-center, right-center approach that (hitting coach) Frank (Menechino) teaches. If the ball's outside, hit it hard to the other side. Just don't think you have to hit for power to help us."
So, what did Sheets do after having the chat with La Russa?
He hit a 3-run homer against Cleveland in the first game of the series and followed with a 2-run shot in Tuesday night's 4-1 win.
"A little warm weather helps," said the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Sheets. "Just getting the feeling of catching the ball out in front and squaring a couple up goes a long way. It was a little tough stretch that last week and you get a good feeling, find the barrel a couple of times, and it starts to get a little bit contagious. Nice to get that feeling again.
"I think the last week or so I've been in between pitches, missing a lot of fastballs I usually do damage on. Missing a couple of hanging sliders. I feel like I've kind of calmed down at the plate, gotten smoother a little bit."