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Billy Hamilton is reinstated from the 10-day injured list and rejoins the Chicago White Sox: ‘I’m ready to battle with the boys,’ the speedster says

lamond pope, chicago tribune
·4 min read

Friday had a familiar feeling for Chicago White Sox outfielder Billy Hamilton.

“It felt like my first time in the big leagues again this morning,” Hamilton said before the game against the Texas Rangers at Guaranteed Rate Field. “I couldn’t sleep. I was excited about being back.”

The Sox reinstated Hamilton from the the 10-day injured list and optioned pitcher Alex McRae to the Schaumburg training facility. Hamilton went on the injured list April 8 with a strained left hamstring. He was not in the starting lineup Friday in the opener of a nine-game homestand.

“The process of getting this hamstring back right has been really really good for me,” Hamilton said. “The training staff did a really great job of getting me to the point where I could get back as quick as possible and not having to extend my time (being out).

“I’m excited about that. I’m happy to be back with the boys, to see the guys out here grinding every single day, and not being able to be a part of it was on my mind the whole time. Now that I feel like I’m back and healthy to go, I’m ready to battle with the boys.”

Hamilton suffered the injury April 7 against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. He stole third base in the fifth inning and then received attention from the training staff. Hamilton remained in the game and scored on a bases-loaded walk but left in the bottom of the inning.

“It was one of those things, you wake up that morning, you feel good enough to play, you feel it a little bit, but not enough to where I’m like, ‘Hey, Skip, I don’t feel like I’m able to play today,’” Hamilton said. “It was more, ‘OK, I’m going to come in and get a bunch of treatment. I feel well enough to play. I don’t want to be out this game.’

“I went out there and got ready to slide (into third base) and I felt it just slide apart a little bit, so that kind of scared me, especially for a guy like me, I need my wheels.”

Hamilton, who has 307 career stolen bases, said he feels “100%.” His return gives the Sox another option for left field. He’s helped fill in with Eloy Jimenez out five to six months with a torn left pectoral tendon.

Hamilton is 3-for-11 with two walks, one RBI, two runs and two stolen bases in six games.

“You know he’s a really tough out from both sides (and) he can run,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said of having the switch-hitting Hamilton back in the mix. “Seeing him against us, but to see him on your side, he can really burn. He’s got a real intelligence to the way he runs the bases and steals. He’s a high-percentage stealer. We like the weapons.”

Hamilton said teammates such as shortstop Tim Anderson have been a big boost.

“The confidence, I’ve been around TA, and the stuff that he’s been giving me, it’s been unbelievable,” Hamilton said. “He’s one of those guys that, ‘Hey, Billy. I don’t care what nobody says out there, you can hit.’ And by him telling me that every single day, that has been bringing me more confidence to actually not be afraid to hit with two strikes, draw a couple of walks, get on base and do what I’ve got to do. He’s been one of the main guys that every single day is like, ‘Let’s go. Get your couple hits a game and then you’re going to be good.’

“He’s like ‘Listen, you’re a hitter. You can hit.’ In the past, it used to be run then hit, now think about it as hit then run. That’s been my main thing. I’m not Billy the runner, I’m trying to be Billy the hitter and then run.”

La Russa provided injury updates for outfielder Adam Engel (strained right hamstring) and starter Lance Lynn (strained right trapezius).

“We are still thinking some time in early May maybe for Engel,” La Russa said. “I doubt any time in April. But he’s making progress.

“And we have the luxury now with these days off (Wednesday’s postponement against Cleveland and scheduled off days Thursday and Monday), so we don’t really have to push Lance. He’s feeling better, but we want to make sure he’s 100%-plus.”