Ready for takeoff? White Sox’ Tim Anderson gets day off

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SEATTLE — Tim Anderson did not play in the White Sox’ 5-1 loss to the Mariners Sunday after leaving Saturday’s 4-3 win in 11 innings with what the team said was right shoulder soreness, but the expectation is that the issue is minor and Anderson will play Monday at home against the Rangers.

Anderson declined a request to talk to reporters before Sunday’s series finale at T-Mobile Park.

“I think he’s doing OK. I talked to him, wished him a Happy Father’s Day, haven’t really checked up on his arm yet,” manager Pedro Grifol said a couple of hours before the game. “I will. But we were going to give him the day today. Let him enjoy Father’s Day before I ask him how he feels.”

Grifol said he was being cautious with Anderson, who sprained his left knee in April, another day.

“Making sure we keep him healthy the rest of the year,” Grifol said.

Anderson is having a season well below his subpar standards, batting .250/.291/.293 no homers and a .584 OPS and struggling in spurts defensively. Before he came out of Saturday’s game, he was easily doubled off first base on a foul pop-up after an attempted steal. Grifol defended Anderson after the game.

“I don’t think he needs a mental break. I just think he needed a physical break,” Grifol said Sunday. “Timmy’s going to take off here pretty soon. He’s feeling good, had some really good swings yesterday. He’s had some good work the last couple of days. He’s going to take off. He didn’t need a mental break. It’s a physical break, get some treatment and be ready to go tomorrow.”

Grifol: Call Jerry

Grifol dug in when asked about third baseman Jake Burger, the Sox’ leader in OPS (.865) and their No. 2 home run hitter (16) batting eighth Sunday.

“I’m going to put the lineup out there I think is going to help us win,” Grifol said.

“I don’t have to answer those people [who don’t like the lineup]. He’s in the lineup, he’s going to get four at-bats, help us win. Other than that, they can talk to [chairman] Jerry [Reinsdorf].”

Burger got three plate appearances, going 1-for-3. He was 0-for-8 with five strikeouts in the first two games of the series after striking out four times (and also hitting his 16th homer) against the Dodgers Thursday.

Contenders?

Grifol said he fully expects the Sox (31-42) to be in the AL Central race, if not at the top of the race, in September. The Sox trail the Twins (36-36) by 5 ¹⁄₂ games.

“That’s what gets me excited, at some point this thing is going to really click for us as a team,” he said before Sunday’s loss. “One thing I’m hoping and praying for is when that offense does click, I want our pitching to still be clicking. And see if we can put it all together for a period of time. That’s what excites me.”

This and that

Teams with a pitcher who gets 16 or more strikeouts are 109-27 all time.

*Luis Robert’s 20th double to right center in the ninth warranted a replay challenge for what would have been his 18th homer.

*Zach Remillard, the hero Saturday in his major league debut, batted second and was 0-for-4.