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GLENDALE, Ariz. — Elvis Andrus described Monday as “completely weird.”
“The weirdest game I’ve played in a while,” he said with a smile.
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The longtime shortstop, who signed a one-year deal with the Chicago White Sox last week, is making the adjustment to being a second baseman. He played in his first Cactus League game of the spring Monday against the Seattle Mariners at Camelback Ranch.
“Even between innings I was like, ‘What am I doing here (on this side of the bag)?’ ” Andrus said with a laugh. “But I’ll get used to it.”
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Andrus, 34, has played only shortstop and DH throughout his 14-year big-league career, which began in 2009 with the Texas Rangers. He was hoping to have an active Monday in the infield but didn’t have any grounders hit in his direction during his four innings.
“I need a few more games at second for sure,” Andrus said. “But I feel good. I’ve been working really hard with Eddie Rodríguez, our infield coach. I’m not 100% comfortable at second yet. But it was a pretty good first game.
“I wish I could have had a few ground balls. I was calling for them.”
The work with Rodríguez has centered on angles and double plays.
“Double plays, especially to the glove side,” Andrus said. “It’s completely different than shortstop. That’s a play I’ve been working really hard. I just want to make it very comfortable for me. So far, so good. Hopefully I can get a lot of ground balls the next game. It’s a process.”
Grifol said Andrus went right back to work Tuesday morning.
“He’s so comfortable,” Grifol said. “I know he might feel weird because he’s used to the other side of the field and he’s played shortstop for a long, long, long time. But I think the shift (in previous years) is going to allow that transition to be fairly easy and quick.
“He’s a smart baseball player. And he works. I saw him catching ground balls today at 9:30 (a.m.) and he was getting after it. So to me that combination of makeup he’s got makes me believe he’s not going to have any issues.”
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It wasn’t a totally quiet day for Andrus on Monday. He got to the base and applied a tag for an out on a throw from catcher Yasmani Grandal to end the third inning.
“It’s easier coming from second,” Andrus said of covering. “I’m trying to get a good view from the catcher. The runner, I know where he’s going to go. He’s got to come to the base. I don’t have to worry about the runner.
“But from second, I’ve played there through the shift the last few years so I’ve been covering second from that. The last two or three years actually make the transition a lot easier for me.”
Andrus made a diving catch on a soft liner to rob Cooper Hummel of a hit in the fourth.
“With nobody on, it’s pretty simple,” Andrus said. “You see the ball, react to it, anticipate the guy hitting-wise. We know what he’s going to throw. That helps you a lot to anticipate moving before they hit the ball.
“With nobody on, I’m very comfortable. It’s pretty much with a man on first when I want the ground ball because I want to make the play so I can make it easy for me.”
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Andrus slashed .271/.309/.464 with nine home runs, 28 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in 2022 after signing with the Sox on Aug. 19. He enjoyed his time with the team and kept a return in mind while exploring free agency.
“Playing second here, it wasn’t a crazy idea,” Andrus said. “It was in my brain for sure.”
Now it’s reality. Andrus didn’t catch himself running to shortstop before the start of each inning Monday.
“No, because I was actually thinking about it,” he said. “I do that more during practice. Like when we break, I’ve done it a few times where I break to shortstop.
“I was like ‘OK, let me go this way.’ From the game, I’ve got to put it in my head. But it’s been pretty easy.”
