Tyler Saladino was back at third base Wednesday after Mike Olt, acquired on waivers from the Cubs over the weekend, played in three straight games. But Olt will get most of the playing time down the stretch, manager Robin Ventura indicated, as the Sox consider their options for the position for next season.
“I like what we’ve been seeing,’’ Ventura, a former third baseman, said.
“It’s been good. First he’s got to get his feet wet just being here and getting acclimated. I hadn’t seen him play a lot of third base, so to see him move around and the action with his feet and everything, he’s been good. It’s been a pleasant surprise. Hitting-wise, that’s still a little bit rusty because he hadn’t played in probably a week. But as far as his pop and stuff like that, you like seeing it.’’
Olt is 2-for-11 with four strikeouts, both hits (singles) coming in his first game, at Kansas City on Sunday. He batted .160 with 12 homers over 258 plate appearances for the Cubs in 2014, a season in which he dealt with vision problems stemming from a concussion. Olt opened this season as the Cubs starter at third, suffered a hairline fracture in his right wrist in mid April and was replaced by Kris Bryant.
Johnson, and Johnson
Erik Johnson, who allowed three runs on solo homers in six innings in his 2015 debut at Kansas City Sunday, gets another start in the weekend series opener against the Twins Friday. Jose Quintana goes Saturday, Chris Sale Sunday. With six starters in play, John Danks stands to receive a rest of at least nine days.
In brief
Outfielder Trayce Thompson, who had been restricted mostly to starting against lefties, got his second straight start in as many nights against a right-hander after going 2-for-3 with a two-run double Tuesday. Thompson went into Wednesday’s game batting .364 with two homers against lefties, and was 6-for-12 against righties.
*Left-hander Carlos Rodon’s 131 strikeouts rank second among major league rookies behind the Rays’ Nathan Karns (145).
Noah Syndergaard of the Mets has 129 and Anthony DeSclfani of the Reds has 127.
*The Sox bullpen owns a 2.52 ERA in 30 games covering 80 innings since Aug. 5 and a 2.73 ERA since June 30, the the second-lowest in baseball behind the San Francisco Giants’ 2.60. Closer David Robertson has retired 26 consecutive batters.
*Jose Abreu is on-pace to for 31 home runs and 101 RBI after hitting 36 homers with 107 RBI last season, his first in the majors.*The Sox will give away Chris Sale “Stretch Sale” action figures to the first 10,000 fans Oct. 3.
The lineup
Here’s how the Sox lined up against Indians right-hander Josh Tomlin Wednesday night:
Eaton CF
Saladino 3B
Abreu 1B
Cabrera LF
A. Garcia DH
Thompson RF
Ramirez SS
Sanchez 2B
Flowers C
Jeff Samardzija P
