White Sox notes: GM Hahn hopes Sox are buyers at trade deadline

Despite his team’s free fall, White Sox general manager Rick Hahn insists it’s still too early to determine whether the Sox will be buyers or sellers as the Aug. 1 trade deadline approaches.

The Sox were proactive during the monthlong slide, acquiring pitcher James Shields from the Padres and signing first baseman Justin Morneau before calling up shortstop Tim Anderson from Class AAA Charlotte.

Hahn has been encouraged by the Sox’ resilience after winning three of four games in Boston this week. But Hahn said he and other front-office executives will continue to evaluate their options.

“We look at each scenario as the course of the season unfolds,” Hahn said. “There’s no magic date, there’s no magic distance either from first place or outside the playoff picture that we have to declare ourselves [as buyers or sellers].

“It’s certainly our hope that we continue on this upswing and put ourselves in a very clear position of buyers.”

Abreu sits

First baseman Jose Abreu was held out of the game Friday with soreness in his left leg after being hit by a pitch Thursday. Manager Robin Ventura hopes Abreu needs just one day off, especially considering how productive he has been of late.

“I’d rather have him in the lineup every single day,” Ventura said. “But I understand that’s part of the way it has to be right now.

Todd Frazier played first base, and Tyler Saladino took Frazier’s spot at third.

Abreu, who is hitting .310 in his last seven games with two home runs and nine RBI, said he just needed a day to rest. He underwent treatment and said so far, so good.

“If you’re in a good or bad moment, you always want to play, but sometimes you also have to realize that the best thing you can do is just to take a break, thinking of the future,” Abreu said through an interpreter. “Because you don’t want to push too hard and [then] something bad can happen. You have to understand that it’s better sometimes to play it safe and take care of you then try to push so hard.”

Injury report

Center fielder Austin Jackson (torn meniscus) recently underwent surgery and will be on crutches for the first two weeks of his recovery. He’ll have an MRI exam after four weeks, which will give the Sox a better idea of a timeline for his return.

Reliever Zach Putnam (elbow) received a second opinion after -being put on the 15-day disabled list this week. Hahn said surgery

is a possibility.

Morneau (elbow) has begun to participate in on-field drills, and Hahn said he’s close to going on a minor-league rehab assignment. Morneau is aiming to return after the All-Star break.

Signed, sealed

The Sox signed their first-round pick, former Miami catcher Zack Collins, and gave him a $3.4 million signing bonus, the slot value for the 10th overall pick.

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