Sox don't expect Adam Engel back from injury until May originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The White Sox will be waiting a little while longer for the return of Adam Engel.
South Side skipper Tony La Russa said before Friday night's game that it's doubtful Engel, who's been on the shelf with a strained hamstring since the spring, will be back before the end of the month.
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The White Sox could certainly use Engel back at full health. They've been without their fourth outfielder the entire time left fielder Eloy Jiménez has been sidelined with a ruptured pectoral tendon. He's not expected back for months, and in the meantime, the team has had limited success replacing him in left field, the by-committee approach creating one of the lowest levels of offensive production at the position in the majors.
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Engel had a nice offensive season in 2020, his bat finally catching up to his excellent glove. Being able to use him regularly could stabilize the position while Jiménez recovers.
Engel was not initially expected to miss this much time, but he described a setback during his rehab, saying he pushed himself too hard one day, extending his absence.
"I think any competitor will tell you when you have an opportunity to help your team win and you're on the (IL), it's really hard to find that balance between trying to get healthy and making the decision to not push yourself," Engel said earlier this month. "It's a hard thing to do because we want to get out there and compete, we want to be with our teammates and help the team win.
"If this was an offseason injury, I probably wouldn't have had a setback because I'd know I had time and games aren't being played and all those different things, they kind of all play into that, a sense of urgency you have to kind of fight. I learned from my mistake there, and I'm making sure to be more cautious."
The White Sox saw Billy Hamilton return Friday from his own hamstring-related absence, giving them another option in their quest to fill in for Jiménez in left. That was never going to be an easy task, but other injuries to outfielders have made it that much more difficult. Engel's return could go a long way in easing things for La Russa and Co.
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