KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Chicago White Sox designated hitter Adam Dunn said he'll try to play in Thursday's home opener despite undergoing an appendectomy late Tuesday night.
"I'm going to try [to play Thursday]," Dunn said. "That's one thing I don't want to do is miss Opening Day at home.
"I'm going home tonight, planning on playing tomorrow and we'll go from there. If it feels like this tomorrow, then we might have some problems, but I'm a quick healer like [comic book hero] Wolverine."
Dunn underwent a laparoscopic procedure after playing 12 innings Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals. He reportedly felt lower abdomen discomfort as far back as Sunday evening. Guillen said he only knew about it Tuesday afternoon.
"He took batting practice and said he felt a little uncomfortable," Guillen said. "I thought it was an oblique [muscle strain]."
Dunn was released from a Kansas City hospital Wednesday afternoon and arrived at Kauffman Stadium during the White Sox's game with the Royals.
Because the appendix removal was laparoscopic and only involved a small incision in the lower abdomen, the recovery time is minimal. The issue was detected before the appendix could burst or become infected.
"Maybe in the past you would be out for three months because they can't find out what it was," Guillen said. "They might say it was an oblique muscle and all of a sudden something worse might happen. That happened to a few players in the past. Right now medicine and all the stuff out there go so good and so quick."
The Cardinals' Matt Holliday had an emergency appendix removal on Friday and is expected to return in less than two weeks. The Cardinals have elected to not put him on the 15-day disabled list thus far.
"Early in the afternoon [Dunn] was saying something was bothering him in there, so it wasn't a total shock," first baseman Paul Konerko said. "I'm glad they got it early. Those things, if you don't get on them early, they can get bad. It sounds like he's going to be fine. He'll be down a few days. Just got to adjust and pick up the slack while he's out."
Already planning to rest some starters for Wednesday afternoon's game, Guillen's lineup had an even more interesting look once he found out Dunn wasn't available to hit out of the No. 3 hole.
Juan Pierre led off against Royals left-hander Jeff Francis, taking over Dunn's designated hitter role. Gordon Beckham batted second, Alex Rios batted third and Konerko was the cleanup hitter. Carlos Quentin moved up a spot to the five hole, followed by Alexei Ramirez. Lastings Milledge got his first start of the season in left field and batted seventh, followed by catcher Ramon Castro and third baseman Brent Morel.
Milledge and Mark Teahen are expected to get the bulk of the additional at-bats until Dunn returns.
Dunn, the White Sox's biggest offseason acquisition after signing a four-year, $56 million contract, is batting .286 with a home run and five RBIs.
Doug Padilla covers the White Sox for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000.