GLENDALE, Ariz. — Andrew Benintendi immediately clutched his right hand after being hit by a pitch in the first inning Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians.
Benintendi made his way to first base at Camelback Ranch, where he was met by the training staff and then exited the game.
The Chicago White Sox will be without the left fielder for four to six weeks after he suffered a nondisplaced fracture in the hand, the team announced. The injury will not require surgery, the Sox said.
“He was in pain,” manager Will Venable said after the 4-2 victory. “Obviously terrible news. Hate to hear it. Just hope that he’s able to have a speedy recovery.
“We’ll be appropriate with the recovery and what it takes and whatever he needs to do to get back healthy. We’ll take our time. Obviously we’ll be missing his presence out on the field. But got to give him a chance to heal up and get better.”
Benintendi led the Sox with 20 home runs last season. He played 135 games, finishing second on the team with 64 RBIs, 50 runs and 41 walks.
He had a slow start to 2024, slashing .201/.258/.311 with seven home runs and 26 RBIs in his first 75 games. But he turned it on after the All-Star break, slashing .263/.328/.502 with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs in his final 60 games. He credited a toe tap with aiding the rebound.
Benintendi, 30, has a .246/.309/.374 slash line with 25 home runs and 109 RBIs in 286 games during his first two seasons with the Sox. He signed a five-year, $75 million deal — the largest in franchise history — ahead of the 2023 season. He played for the Boston Red Sox (2016-20), Kansas City Royals (2021-22) and New York Yankees (2022) before signing with the Sox.
The 20 home runs in 2024 matched a career high. He also hit 20 in 2017 with the Red Sox.
“He’s our guy,” Venable said. “He’s a guy that’s been around. He understands the game and he’s a guy the young guys look to. We’re going to miss him but hopefully he gets back pretty soon and we can get back to business.”
Left-field options for the White Sox could include Michael A. Taylor, who signed a one-year deal on Feb. 12 and started at the position Thursday while Benintendi was the designated hitter. The Sox also signed outfielders Mike Tauchman and Austin Slater to one-year deals in the offseason. They have veterans such as Joey Gallo, who is in camp as a nonroster invitee on a minor-league contract and has been primarily slated to get some work at first base.
Oscar Colás, Dominic Fletcher, Corey Julks, Zach DeLoach, Wilfred Veras and Cal Mitchell are among the players to see time in left field this spring for the Sox.
“Guys are going to have to step up,” Venable said. “We know injuries are a part of this and that’s why we got some of these guys to make sure that we’re covered. And that’ll open up some opportunities for somebody else early, and they’ll have to pick up the slack.”
Colson Montgomery scratched
The White Sox shortstop prospect was scratched from Thursday’s starting lineup for precautionary reasons with back spasms. He is day to day.
Montgomery is 1-for-7 with a home run and two RBIs in three Cactus League games this spring. He dealt with a midback strain in for a portion of 2023. Montgomery is the No. 39-rated prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com.
The Sox said they are erring on the side of caution after Montgomery felt something on one of his swings during batting practice.
“I think it’s just let him cool down for a couple days and see where he’s at,” Venable said. “We want to be sensitive to the back and any injury and we’ll give him the time he needs to get back and healthy.”
