Blake Tekotte Recalled

Dayan Viciedo will be out at least the next 15 days and maybe longer after the White Sox placed the left fielder on the disabled list before Saturday's game against Minnesota.

The White Sox recalled outfielder Blake Tekotte from Triple-A Charlotte to take Viciedo's place.

Viciedo suffered the oblique injury during his eighth-inning at-bat Thursday in Toronto.

"Yesterday when he came in it wasn’t feeling that much better," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said before Saturday's game. "I think (trainer) Herm (Schneider) has seen it enough that you know it’s not going to be a two or three-day thing, so we’re actually hoping it’s just a two-week thing."

Viciedo said through a translator that he feels pain "a little bit with everything," but also said he doesn't think the injury is that bad.

Sox general manager Rich Hahn said Viciedo's rehab could take longer than the 15-day disabled list stint.

"We're going to have to play that one by ear," said Hahn, who addressed the media before the game. "With something like this it's so easy as you guys know to re-aggravate it if you don't give it the proper amount of time to heal. I think the plan at this point is for him to do essentially nothing for about a week and then slowly start ramping him up into baseball activities and then likely a rehab assignment. So it could take a little longer than the 15 days, but we'll see how quickly he gets back to normal in these first seven before we decide."

Vicideo takes healthy hacks at the plate, something that could factor into his rehab.

"He doesn’t necessarily have a patient or deliberate swing," Ventura said. "It’s a violent swing. That’s the other thing. You let him go back out there and swing and it will probably be worse. You see people down for a long time."

Taking Viciedo's roster spot is Tekotte, 25, who had been playing in extended spring training games after starting the season on Charlotte's disabled list.
Tekotte, who bats left-handed and throws right, was acquired by the Sox from San Diego on November 7, 2012, in exchange for pitcher Brandon Kloess. He hit 8-49 (.163) with one RBI in 30 games for the Padres through 2011-12. Tekotte will wear No. 18.

"(Tekotte) can run a little bit so he could be running late, going in defensively, getting a start here and there," Ventura said.

Tekotte said he felt good being around the team during spring training and is excited to play in Chicago.

"My family's from Chicago too so they're able to come up," he said. "This ballclub, I fell in love with all the guys during spring training. They're awesome. I feel like they have good chemistry, so I'm excited to be part of this team."

Tekotte started the season on the DL with a strained left hamstring.

"It feels pretty good," he said. "They gave me a little extra time just to make sure since it was kind of the beginning of the season. They didn't want me to relapse. I feel great. I'm just excited to finally get out of Arizona and play under some lights in the stadium."


(csnchicago.com)