DETROIT — Avisail Garcia’s encore season to an All-Star campaign in 2017 hasn’t been what he had hoped for, in large part due to hamstring and knee problems that have limited the right fielder to playing in 59 of the White Sox’ first 120 games this year.
Garcia, 27, has navigated his way through sore legs but is not playing with the same “burst” in them, mainly because of a sore right knee. He said he expects to have an arthroscopic procedure done on the knee after the season.
“I have to get something done in the offseason,’’ Garcia told the Sun-Times. “I know I have to get it cleaned up. Nothing major. We think the knee has caused the hamstring [issues]. It’s been a crazy year, but hopefully next year will be better.’’
In 58 games, Garcia is batting .244/.275/.471 with 13 homers and 27 RBI. He had one hit in his previous 22 at-bats entering the Sox game at the Tigers Wednesday.
“Just keep working, working,’’ he said. “I’ve missed some pitches, it happens. It’s not easy. You can’t lose confidence. You’re going to have bad days, bad weeks, a bad month.”
At various times, both knees and hamstrings have been sore. A Grade 2 strain of the right hamstring put Garcia, coming off a season in which he batted .330, on the DL in April.
“It’s been tough because of my knees,’’ he said. “I have to work through it, even if I don’t feel 100 percent.
“It’s going to get better.’’
Open roster spot not for Eloy
The Sox optioned outfielder Ryan LaMarre to Class AAA Charlotte after the game, but it was not to create room for prized prospect Eloy Jimenez. They are expected to activate Leury Garcia from the disabled list Friday.
LaMarre hit the go-ahead home run, the first of his career, in the Sox’ 6-3 win Tuesday.
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The Sox remain private about when or if Jimenez will be called up this season. If it happens, though, it likely would occur when the team is at home.
Hawk’s final countdown
Leading up to Ken Harrelson’s final game as Sox broadcaster Sept. 23 when the Sox host the Cubs, the team announced the details to cap off his final send-off, including a pregame ceremony on Sept. 2 celebrating “Hawk Day at Guaranteed Rate Field.”
The winner of the “He Gone for Charity” sweepstakes will have the chance to join Harrelson and special guests on the field before the White Sox host the Red Sox. Along with the pregame celebration, the first 10,000 fans to enter the ballpark will receive a Hawk Harrelson Nesting Doll, which commemorates different phases of Harrelson’s 55 years in the baseball world.
There also will be an intimate, private screening of the new documentary produced by NBC Sports Chicago titled “Hawk” on Sept. 6 at ArcLight Cinemas. Harrelson and the movie’s directors will host a question-and-answer panel after the showing.
Two days rest for Tim
Shortstop Tim Anderson was rested, getting a two-day break with the off day Thursday. Anderson had played in 116 of the Sox’ 119 games. Yolmer Sanchez played shortstop and also got some camera time mimicking the umpires during a replay challenge.
