GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Injured Chicago White Sox position players Tyler Flowers and Jeff Keppinger both returned to the starting lineup on Tuesday.
Flowers had missed four starts with lower back pain while Keppinger had not started at third base since March 9 due to a sore shoulder, ankle sprain and personal business that had him out of camp for three days.
“We are now starting to get back in there with the guys that have been out,” manager Robin Ventura said. “You are glad to see them out there and playing healthy.”
Keppinger went 2-for-2 and started a nice 5-4-3 double play in the first inning.
“Yeah, it feels good to be out there,” Keppinger said. “My shoulder is feeling good, so it is time to get after it.”
Flowers was 1-for-4 with a double on the day.
“I felt really good out there,” Flowers said. “I really didn’t feel (pain) the whole time I was out there.”
Ventura has been missing two other starters in his lineup since the World Baseball Championship began two weeks ago. Alejandro De Aza is playing for the Dominican Republic and Alex Rios is on team Puerto Rico.