Lawrie leaves game with tight hamstring; Avila out 4 more weeks

Second baseman Brett Lawrie left the White Sox’ game against the Detroit Tigers during the fourth inning Thursday night with tightness in his left hamstring.

Lawrie, who was replaced by Tyler Saladino, is day to day.

The Sox trailed 2-1 after Ian Kinsler and Miguel Cabrera hit solo home runs in the top of the fifth inning against Sox right-hander James Shields.

The Sox scored in the third inning on Tim Anderson’s single over first base, scoring Adam Eaton.

Setback for Avila

White Sox catcher Alex Avila’s setback during his minor-league rehab assignment at AAA Charlotte will keep him out of action for at least four more weeks, general manager Rick Hahn said Thursday.

Avila, who returned to Chicago, said he reaggravated the hamstring Tuesday running on the bases.

That leaves the Sox with Dioner Navarro as the primary catcher and Omar Narvaez, who has played in one game, as the backup. AAA catcher Kevan Smith, scratched from his major league debut in Toronto in late April when his back locked up during the pregame stretch – he was called up when Avila went on the DL the first time with the hamstring problem – is catching again at Charlotte.

Surgery likely for Putnam

Right-hander Zach Putnam (elbow), who threw off a mound a couple of times in recent days “had a bit of a setback,” Hahn said, and is seeing a doctor to likely schedule surgery to remove bone spurs.

“It will be several weeks before he can potentially return,’’ Hahn said.

Left-hander Carlos Rodon (sprained left wrist) is close to going on a rehab assignment, Hahn said.

Jackson not close

Center fielder Austin Jackson’s follow-up MRI showed modest improvement in his surgically repaired right knee and will likely ramp up non impact activity, but “it’s going to be a slow return for him,’’ Hahn said. “We’re still several weeks away.’’

Jackson signed a one-year, $5 million contract in spring training.