Dallas Keuchel looked like he was in midseason form.
The White Sox left-hander signed as a free agent in the offseason, started and retired all seven batters he faced in the White Sox’ intrasquad game at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Keuchel struck out Adam Engel, Andrew Vaughn and Zack Collins.
“He could have went out there for another one,” said bench coach Joe McEwing, who is running the club while manager Rick Renteria is absent to attend a funeral in California. “It was great to see him out there. A lot of positives, a lot of groundballs. He’s progressing to where we are getting him where he needs to be.”
Bummer: Not a lefty specialist
With expanded rosters, left-hander Aaron Bummer doesn’t believe he’ll be seeing multiple left-handed hitters in succession.
“I’ve thought about the [new] three-batter minimum a lot,” Bummer said. “There’s expanded rosters to where you know you’re going to have 30 guys, and instead of having a backup catcher and two bench spots, you might have four or five bench guys that will be able to platoon. And so in my position, the amount of times I’m going to see multiple lefties in a row, I don’t think I really will.
“So it’s become even more important to be able to get out the opposite-hand hitters. In my case, left-handers getting right-handers, and right-handers getting left-handers. If I’m a manager, I’m going to pick and choose my points. Maybe you see an opportunity and you load the box against somebody knowing they have to face three more hitters. So I think there’s going to be a lot more strategy involved in that way, and you’re going to see a lot more platoons in that sense, as well.”
Tim Anderson, whoa
Bench coach Joe McEwing said shortstop Tim Anderson has done exercises to open his hips and increase flexibility “so he could bend more.”
“The way his body, his movements work, he is in a better position getting off the ball, fielding the ball, throwing the ball,” said McEwing, who works with the infielders. “The ball is coming out of his hands strong right now … and he’s like, ‘Joe, I’m only like 50 to 60 percent.’ And I was like ‘whoa.’ ’’
Anderson produced a ‘whoa’ in the intrasquad Friday, belting a home run to center field against Kelvin Herrera. Anderson also singled sharply to left against Jimmy Cordero.
FANtastic Faces sells out
FANtastic Faces, the cardboard cutouts of fans’ likenesses that will be displayed at Guaranteed Rate Field during the team’s opening homestand, sold out quickly.
More than 1,500 cardboard cutouts will fill seats for the opening three-game series against the Twins July 24-27. At $49 per, more than $55,000 in net proceeds was raised for White Sox Charities.
This and that
Jose Abreu homered against closer Alex Colome, who also struck out Luis Robert on three pitches, walked Yasmani Grandal and retired Eloy Jimenez and Nomar Mazara in the intrasquad.
*Andrew Vaughn played third base but did not get any action. The first base prospect has been taking ground balls at the hot corner in camp. At the plate, Vaughn struck out, singled and lined out to right field.
*Jimmy Codero pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts and no walks.
