Upbeat White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson bringing energy, even from IL

TORONTO — Shortstop Tim Anderson wasn’t his usual self — a strained right groin will do that to you — but he was in his usual upbeat mood in the visitors’ clubhouse and on the field Wednesday at Rogers Centre before the White Sox played the Blue Jays.

“I’m just being the biggest cheerleader there is, you know, just cheering them on and bringing my energy to the dugout and staying positive,” Anderson said.

Three days after getting hurt making a play on the outfield grass against the Cubs on Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field, Anderson, who went on the 10-day injured list Tuesday, was riding an exercise bike. He stepped up his workload another small notch, playing catch and doing some lower-body work.

“[Sox trainer James] Kruk said his history is he heals fast,” manager Tony La Russa said. “If he could come back in 15 days, we’ll be celebrating.”

It could be closer to three weeks, but even that feels like a bonus after worse was feared when Anderson went down and had to be helped off the field.

“Hopefully getting back as quick as I can, but also coming back fully healthy and being smart with the body,” Anderson said. “I don’t really have a timetable. All I can do is keep rehabbing and keep working to get back.

“I’m going to do a little more today and see how I feel tomorrow and keep pushing from there.”

When asked if he was feeling discomfort, Anderson said, “No, I feel good. I feel fine. I could beat you in a race. I’m good, I’m in a good space. I feel it a little bit, but other than that, I feel like I’m in a good spot. Headed where I need to be to get back healthy.”

Robert returns; Moncada doesn’t start

Luis Robert, at designated hitter in his first game since coming off the COVID injured list, was not 100% stamina-wise, La Russa said.

“We’ll see how he is tomorrow,” La Russa said. “It’s good to get him back.”

Yoan Moncada, still nursing a sore right quad, “could have played today,” La Russa said, but “we didn’t want to run the risk of playing today and him being stiff [Thursday] because we need every left-hander we can get in the lineup against right-hander Alek Manoah.” Moncada did pinch hit, and struck out looking in the ninth.

Eloy Jimenez returned to the lineup as the DH for Triple-A Charlotte after leaving the first game of his rehab assignment with soreness in his right hamstring Saturday.

Back to 26

Right-hander Jimmy Lambert is with the team from Charlotte and should be activated Thursday, when the Sox can replace Dylan Cease, who is on the restricted list. Lambert will be available for relief work. Cease is slated to start Saturday against the Rays. Vince Velasquez starts Friday, and Lucas Giolito starts Sunday.

More ‘Sunday Night Baseball’

The Sox-Astros game June 19 in Houston has been picked up by ESPN’s ‘‘Sunday Night Baseball’’ and moved from an afternoon start to 6:08 p.m.