White Sox infielder turned outfielder Andrew Vaughn was forced to exit Sunday’s spring training game after suffering an apparent lower-body injury. The team is ruling it as right hip discomfort and has not offered a timetable for his return with further evaluations to come.
The play occurred during the bottom of the fourth when Vaughn appeared to make a typical diving play to rob Los Angeles’ Hanser Alberto. Following the catch, Vaughn held his right hip before popping up to give center fielder Luis Robert a high five. It was after he took a few steps that Vaughn began limping and signaled for the training staff to come out. Though able to stand on his own power, he was experiencing some discomfort before eventually being carted off the field.
For the White Sox, this should be a sign that it’s time to fill their corner outfield position with a proven outfielder. Don’t get us wrong, what Vaughn did last year was impressive by transitioning to left field. Despite this, he’s still a natural infielder, and to learn both corner outfield positions now may be asking too much. Rather than continuing to jeopardize his health by playing him out of position, the team would undoubtedly be better off seeking out other right-field options for both the short-term and long-term futures.
While we are talking about injuries, it’s worth mentioning that infielder Jake Burger also left Sunday’s game. The team is calling it left ankle discomfort that will leave him day-to-day.
We’ll provide further updates as we learn more on Vaughn’s status. Be sure to also follow us on social media @SoxOn35th!
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