White Sox activate RHP Albers from DL

CHICAGO (AP) The White Sox activated reliever Matt Albers from the 15-day disabled list and designated infielder Conor Gillaspie for assignment before Sunday's 4-1 loss to Kansas City.

Albers broke his right pinkie finger during a brawl with the Royals on April 23. He pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings Sunday and has a 1.08 ERA in five appearances with Chicago this year.

Gillaspie started at third on opening day, but is batting .237 with three homers and 15 RBIs in 58 games after he hit .282 in 130 games last year. The White Sox needed another pitcher in the bullpen, and rookie Tyler Saladino's solid play at third made Gillaspie expendable.

''He's a much better hitter than what those numbers indicate, and that's what makes it tough,'' manager Robin Ventura said. ''He got off to the slow start, and I think with Sally coming in here and showing what he can do, you need another arm and that becomes the move. But it doesn't make it any easier.''

Ventura said Saladino will get most of the starts at third base. Saladino, who turns 26 on Monday, hit his first career homer in the ninth inning of Sunday's loss to the Royals.

''The home run's nice, especially the first one, but at the end of the day, if we don't win, that's all that matters,'' he said. ''The home run is just a moment. The win, at the end of the day, we didn't get it, so come back Tuesday.''

Saladino was promoted on July 10 and is batting .308 (8 for 26) over his first seven major league games.

''On the field, you look at him and he fits in anywhere,'' Ventura said. ''There's not really a position that you could put him at that he wouldn't look very comfortable at. That's just in his DNA of being a baseball player. On that part, you like what you see. Every time you look at him, he's just dirty. In a good way of just being a baseball player. He's always in the middle of something.''