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Photos: Tigers 2, White Sox 1

ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 25Chicago White Sox left fielder Eloy Jimenez heads to the locker room after grounding out to end the game in 2-1 a loss to the Tigers on Thursday at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)

Sports

Kyle Hendricks’ MRI shows no structural damage — but there’s no timeline for the Chicago Cubs starter’s return

LOS ANGELES — The Chicago Cubs have gained some insight into Kyle Hendrick’s right shoulder strain.An MRI showed no structural damage, and he will not need surgery, manager David Ross said Thursday. But the Cubs don’t know when Hendricks will be back on the mound.AdvertisementThe team wants to get through the four-game series at Dodger Stadium — which opened Thursday night — and return home before getting a better idea of Hendricks’ timeline.“You knew he was dealing with something, so it’s unfortunate,” pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said Thursday. “But he’s such a gamer. He was going to keep trying to go out there and grind it for the guys. He knew where we were. But it’s unfortunate for Kyle.”AdvertisementThis is the second time Hendricks is dealing with a shoulder issue since early June, when he went 12 days between starts because of fatigue. That makes Hendricks’ situation more concerning. Asked whether it would be unrealistic to expect Hendricks to need only a minimum stint on the injured list, Hottovy replied, “I don’t know, to be honest.”Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks wipes the sweat from his face during a game against the Cardinals on May 20 at Wrigley Field. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)Hendricks did not travel with the Cubs to Los Angeles, staying in Chicago to get treatment on his shoulder. The layoff in June enabled Hendricks to make five starts until shoulder discomfort caused him to exit Tuesday’s start in Milwaukee after three innings.“I just know we tried the 15 days last time without putting him on the IL, we kind of tried to give it to him thinking that was right thing to do, and obviously it didn’t quite work (except) for a couple of weeks,” Hottovy said. “So we’ve got to take that into consideration.“Now we’re kind of back to that same spot so how do we reevaluate moving forward what the next steps are going to be to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”The Cubs are being cautious while they await to get a fuller picture of Hendricks’ injury. But if anything can be gleaned from left-hander Wade Miley’s situation in which he reaggravated his injury, Hendricks’ return could be measured in weeks, not days.Miley, who has been out since June 11 with a left shoulder strain, played catch Thursday. He is still working through a throwing progression. Miley needs to get to a point at which he is feeling strong and repeating good long-toss days, Hottovy said, before he works up to throwing a bullpen.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.The Cubs rotation should get a boost this weekend, though. Right-hander Marcus Stroman and left-hander Drew Smyly are expected to be activated from the IL and start against the Dodgers. They both threw a typical prestart bullpen Thursday, and if they feel good coming out of it, they will slot back in the rotation. The Cubs have not yet announced who will start Saturday and Sunday. Justin Steele would have been in line to start Saturday, but he is in Chicago awaiting the birth of his child.Hottovy is optimistic Smyly and Stroman will be ready to go against the Dodgers.Advertisement“Anytime you get reinforcements, it’s always refreshing,” Hottovy said. “The last thing you want to do is push guys just because you feel like, oh, my gosh, we need them and making decisions that’s not best for them. But both of those guys are feeling great.”The Cubs still have one potential arm to help them during the final two months of the season. Right-hander Adbert Alzolay has worked up to long toss and a 10-15 pitch touch-and-feel throwing session, though he is still in the early stages of ramping up, Hottovy noted. Hope remains that Alzolay will return at some point this season from his right shoulder strain.Left-hander Brailyn Márquez’s status remains unclear. Hottovy said he hasn’t been getting many reports on Márquez and that the goal is to get him feeling good. Márquez has not pitched in a minor-league game since 2019. He made his big-league debut in September 2020 and did not pitch last season because of a shoulder injury and dealt with myocarditis after a bout with COVID.Hottovy said Alzolay is “starting to trend in the right direction,” though the Cubs want to make sure he builds up the right way and they don’t rush him back.“Anytime we can get him to compete this year, it’s going to be a bonus for next year,” Hottovy said. “Because if you start getting too far into the season where he doesn’t have those innings, now you’re talking about next year: What’s the workload going to be like? How much can we expect? So I think whatever we can get this year, even if it’s for the last month this season and he throws 35-40 innings, that’s a bonus.”

Sports

Chicago Sky earn home-court advantage for the Commissioner’s Cup with a 93-84 win against the Indiana Fever

INDIANAPOLIS — Emma Meesseman scored 20 points, Candace Parker had 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists and the Chicago Sky beat the Indiana Fever 93-84 on Thursday night to secure home court for the Commissioner’s Cup game.The Sky (16-6) will host the Las Vegas Aces on July 26 for the Commissioner’s Cup.AdvertisementJulie Allemand beat the third-quarter buzzer with a long 3-pointer to extend the Sky’s lead to 77-57. The Fever scored 18 of the opening 27 points of the fourth, but the Sky held on in their last game before the All-Star break.The All-Star Game is at noon Sunday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. Advertisement[ The WNBA All-Star Game is this weekend at Wintrust Arena. Here’s everything you need to know about the festivities. ][ Candace Parker’s Revenge Tour: The Chicago Sky All-Star keeps proving doubters wrong — one milestone at a time ]Azura Stevens scored 16 points and Allie Quigley added 13 for the Sky, while Courtney Vandersloot had seven points and six assists.Kelsey Mitchell scored 27 points and rookie NaLyssa Smith had her sixth double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Fever (5-19).Tiffany Mitchell added 15 points, Victoria Vivians was held scoreless on 0-of-9 shooting and Danielle Robinson was 1 of 10 for four points.The Fever made just one their first of 10 shots through four-plus minutes. Smith scored the Fever’s opening 10 points.

Sports

‘Blessed to get into this position’: Chicago White Sox SS Tim Anderson in the running for All-Star Game start

The Chicago White Sox haven’t had a shortstop start the All-Star Game since Luis Aparicio in 1970.Tim Anderson is in the running to update that list.AdvertisementAnderson and Bo Bichette of the Toronto Blue Jays are the finalists to start at shortstop in the American League for this year’s All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.Anderson held a 55%-45% edge after Thursday’s voting update, according to MLB.com.Advertisement“Definitely a blessing,” Anderson said before Thursday’s series opener against the Detroit Tigers at Guaranteed Rate Field. “We understand it’s a grind. And just to see, from the time I jumped into this organization, to see where I’m at now, it’s been great.“I’ve been thankful, I’ve been blessed to get into this position. And to be leading the starting (vote), it’s cool, it’s pretty cool. I’m pretty sure there’s a lot of people that would want to be in that position, and for it to be me, I don’t take anything for granted. I’ll always be thankful and I’ll definitely appreciate the moment if it does happen.”Voting available at MLB.com ends at 1 p.m., and the results will be announced at 6 p.m. on ESPN.Anderson appreciated the support from the fans.“It definitely says a lot about that they’re paying attention to what’s really going on,” Anderson said. “Just being thought about and being voted for, I’m definitely thankful for that. I appreciate them and I thank them for rooting and voting.”Keep those votes coming for TA7. 🗳Vote now through 1:00 p.m. CT tomorrow to make sure Tim Anderson is a starter for the MLB All-Star Game!— #VoteTA7 (@whitesox) July 7, 2022

Anderson earned his first All-Star selection as a reserve last season. He was one of four Sox on the AL roster in the game at Coors Field in Denver. Anderson entered at shortstop in the eighth and was in the on-deck circle in the top of the ninth when the inning’s final out was recorded.“To finally get that first one, I have to continue to keep working year after year,” Anderson said Saturday in San Francisco. “But definitely was a blessing and definitely was a dream come true as well. Just another great accomplishment.”Pitchers and reserves, added via a combination of player-ballot choices and picks from the Commissioner’s office, will be announced at 4:30 p.m. Sunday on ESPN.AdvertisementDylan Cease, who started Thursday, is among the pitchers who could represent the Sox. He was 7-3 with a 2.51 ERA in his first 16 starts. Cease is third in the majors with 125 strikeouts.Despite a recent cold spell — slashing .167/.216/.188 (8-for-48) with one extra-base hit in his last 11 games entering Thursday — Anderson still would be sixth in the AL in batting average (.314) if he had the required plate appearances.His 10 three-hit games rank second in the majors behind Xander Bogaerts (11) of the Boston Red Sox.“Just continue to keep grinding,” Anderson said of his approach. “You understand it’s a long season, but you’ve got to grind it out and keep learning, keep growing. I’m just at a point where you keep learning to identify yourself. You just keep grinding out, that’s all you can do.“The days aren’t going to stop, everything’s going to keep going. All you can do is grab hold to it and keep pushing.”The Sox are trying to make a push in the AL Central. They began Thursday in third place in the division, 5½ games behind the first-place Minnesota Twins.AdvertisementThe Sox received a lift Wednesday when Eloy Jiménez returned from the injured list. The left fielder had a two-run homer and an RBI single, helping the Sox beat the Twins 9-8 in 10 innings. It was his first game since April 23, when he suffered a torn right hamstring tendon.“Good to have his energy back,” Anderson said. “He swung the bat real well. Hopefully he can keep going. But it’s good to bring more energy in and get him back. I’m excited for him. Hopefully we can keep pushing and keep having fun and turn things around.“(He) bring another personality. We’d like more wins with more fun. But we understand the process and understand the grind. We’ve just got to stay the course and keep working and try to get better.”Catcher Yasmani Grandal began an injury rehab assignment with Double-A Birmingham on Thursday, serving as the designated hitter against Tennessee.Grandal has been on the injured list retroactive to June 12 with lower back spasms.“He’s an amazing guy,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said Thursday. “Last year (when he missed time with a torn left knee tendon) and this year when he went down, you think down and out. But he was down but not out.Advertisement“Every day that guy’s dedication to the craft is impressive. He’s getting his body ready but mentally there’s no days off.”