Cal Baseball: Andrew Vaughn Won't Be Ready to Play When Eligible to Come off IL
Andrew Vaughn is eligible to come off the injured list on Thursday, but Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa says the former Cal star still won’t be ready to go by then.
Vaughn, 25, was put on the IL this past Thursday, retroactive to Monday, because of a bone bruise in his right hand.
He still be recovered by Thursday, La Russa predicted, and he will almost certainly get a rehab assignment in the minors before returning to the Sox.
“I don’t know how he can avoid that,” La Russa told the Chicago Sun Times. “There’s no way to get simulation at the big-league level. Unless you fly pitchers in to throw to them. And even then, it’s simulated. My guess is he’s going to take some at-bats. I don’t think it will be many because it hasn’t been that long.”
Vaughn believes he’s taking steps in the right direction.
“It’s been good progress, still day to day. Able to take some easy swings off the tee now but there is still a good bit of pain in there,” Vaughn said. “It’s a bone bruise that has to feel its way out. I’ve heard once it’s done it will be a quick.”
To try to stay sharp and maintain his timing, Vaughn has used a tracking machine and stood in during pitchers’ bullpen sessions.
Vaughn, who was college baseball’s 2018 Golden Spikes Award winner in his sophomore season at Cal, is batting .283 with four home runs and 12 RBIs in 16 games this season.
He injured his hand when hit by a pitch against the Angels a week ago Friday, and hasn’t played since. The White Sox finally placed him on the IL on Thursday.
“Did the X-rays, did the MRI and everything was good, just tons of inflammation,” Vaughn said last week. “I’m not much of a doctor, but it’s painful.”
Cover photo of Andrew Vaughn by Kamil Krzaczynski, SA Today
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo