Out at home: White Sox lead majors in runners thrown out at plate

According to Baseball Reference, the White Sox headed into Friday's play leading the major leagues with 13 runners making outs at home plate this season.

Many have come on sends from Joe McEwing, and the Sox's third-base coach was catching all kinds of heat Thursday night after Gavin Sheets was waved around and thrown at home trying to score from second base on Leury Garcia's single.

Not only did White Sox manager Tony La Russa defend McEwing Friday, he heaped praise on the veteran coach.

The 49-year-old McEwing is in his seventh season as third-base coach and he was also the Sox's bench coach from 2017-20 under manager Rick Renteria.

"He's as good of a third-base coach as there is in baseball," La Russa said. "A couple times he's gotten a guy thrown out, with two outs. We're struggling for runs, the guy has to make a perfect throw and he did."

Injury updates:

Manager Tony La Russa said third baseman Yoan Moncada (hamstring) is "moving along" and might be ready to come off the 10-day injured list on time Tuesday.

Closer Liam Hendriks (right forearm strain) is eligible to come off the IL on Monday.

"Liam is straining at the bit," La Russa said. "He's being held back, being careful."

La Russa also said catcher Yasmani Grandal (back) is moving along and "doing a lot of stuff already."

Up the ladder:

Colson Montgomery, the White Sox's first-round draft pick last year and their top-rated prospect, was promoted from low Class A Kannapolis to high A Winston-Salem Friday.

The 20-year-old shortstop hit .324/.424/.477 with 4 home runs and 26 RBI in 45 games with Kannapolis.

In his final game with Kannapolis Thursday night, Montgomery hit a 2-run single to extend his streak of reaching base safely to 32 games.

Montgomery made it 33 games with a solo home run in his second at-bat with Winston-Salem.