CHICAGO (AP) — White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi was scratched from Saturday night's lineup against Seattle because of neck stiffness.
Benintendi was slated to serve as the designated hitter against the Mariners. He was replaced by Randal Grichuk.
The 31-year-old Benintendi is batting .235 with two homers and 17 RBIs in 36 games.
White Sox catcher Kyle Teel and outfielder Austin Hays took live batting practice against Erick Fedde before the game. Teel also ran the bases for the second straight day.
Teel has been sidelined since he strained his right hamstring while playing for Italy in the World Baseball Classic. The 24-year-old Teel hit .273 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 78 games last year in his first action with the White Sox.
He is expected to run again Sunday before beginning a rehab stint in the minors.
“I think we’re getting closer, and certainly the closest we’ve been,” manager Will Venable said. “We just want to make sure that when he leaves here, he’s in a good spot. Make sure he recovers today, gets through tomorrow the right way and then reevaluate after Sunday.”
Hays is on the 10-day injured list with a left calf strain. He is expected to run the bases in the next few days.
“That’s the last of the boxes to check, to be able to run the bases on back-to-back days and recover well before going on a rehab assignment,” Venable said.
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Chicago White Sox's Andrew Benintendi runs after hitting a two-run double during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Chicago, Monday, April 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
TORONTO (AP) — Brandon Valenzuela hit a three-run home run, Ernie Clement had a solo homer among his career-high tying five hits and the Toronto Blue Jays used a seven-run fifth inning to rout the Los Angeles Angels 14-1 on Saturday.
Mason Fluharty (2-0) worked one inning for the win as Toronto set season-highs in runs and hits (20).
Clement had infield singles in the second and fourth, then drove in a run with a hard single off the glove of third baseman Yoán Moncada in the fifth. He homered off Mitch Farris to begin the seventh, his second of the season, then singled in the ninth.
Valenzuela went 4 for 5, with four RBIs in his first career four-hit game, coming within a triple of the cycle. He homered on the first pitch he saw from Farris in the fifth.
Mike Trout went 0 for 3 with three strikeouts before being replaced defensively by Bryce Teodosio, ending a 23-game run of reaching base in Toronto that began in May 2015.
Adam Frazier drove in the Angels' only run with a pinch-hit single in the top of the eighth, then stayed in to pitch the bottom half. Frazier gave up four runs and five hits including a solo homer by Jesús Sánchez.
Jack Kochanowicz (2-2) allowed nine hits and seven runs, six earned, in four-plus innings. He faced six batters in the fifth but didn’t record an out.
Toronto's Addison Barger walked twice in his return after missing 29 games because of a sprained left ankle. The Blue Jays optioned Yohendrick Piñango to Triple-A Buffalo.
In the second, Barger caught Vaughn Grissom’s fly ball and threw home at 101.2 miles per hour to retire Jorge Soler for an inning-ending double play. It was the fastest throw on an outfield assist by any Blue Jays player since 2015, and the fastest in the majors this season.
Angels RHP José Soriano (5-2, 1.74 ERA) is scheduled to face Blue Jays LHP Eric Lauer (1-4, 6.03) on Sunday.
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Toronto Blue Jays' Brandon Valenzuela, right, is congratulated by teammates Daulton Varsho (5) and Ernie Clement, left, as he crosses home plate after his three-run home run during fifth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jack Kochanowicz winds up to deliver against the Toronto Blue Jays during baseball game action in Toronto, Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays' Addison Barger breaks his bat while facing Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jack Kochanowicz during first-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage winds up to deliver against the Los Angeles Angels during first-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays catcher Brandon Valenzuela, left, tags out Los Angeles Angels' Jorge Soler (12) who grounded out at home plate during second-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
