The Chicago White Sox activated switch-hitting catcher Yasmani Grandal from the injured list Friday and put him in the starting lineup after he missed more than seven weeks with a left knee injury.
Grandal suffered a torn tendon in his left knee on a checked swing July 5 against the Minnesota Twins. He underwent surgery to repair the tendon a day later.
Manager Tony La Russa said the team would continue to monitor Grandal and communicate with him about how he feels as he sees more action.
“When there’s a question, don’t push it, don’t play him,” La Russa said. “But he feels really good. Right now, I’m thinking for sure he catches [Saturday] and Sunday.”
Grandal, 32, is hitting .188 with 14 home runs, 38 RBIs and 60 walks in 63 games this season. The switch-hitter batted .303 (10-for-33) with a home run and three RBIs over 11 games on a minor league rehab assignment.
His .388 on-base percentage this season is his highest since his rookie year and well above his career average of .351.
“I believe he sets a great example about strike zone discipline,” La Russa said. “When we are at our best, if we swing at balls in the strike zone, the contact we make produces. When we struggle, it’s mostly because we’re chasing. He’ll set a real good example and he’ll have a positive effect.”
In a corresponding move, the White Sox optioned catcher Zack Collins to Triple-A Charlotte. Collins, who was selected by Chicago in the first round of the 2016 amateur draft, is hitting .202 with four home runs and 24 RBIs in 72 games this season.
The White Sox open a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs at Guaranteed Rate Field on Friday. Grandal is hitting sixth.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.