AL CENTRAL NEWS AND NOTES

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

First baseman Jose Abreu became the first White Sox player in 22 years to be voted by the fans into the American League starting lineup for the All-Star Game. The last was Hall of Famer Frank Thomas, also a first baseman, for three straight years from 1994 to 1996.

Abreu was hitting .259 with 12 home runs through 88 games. He was selected as a reserve to the 2014 All-Star Game, the same year he won AL Rookie of the Year honors.

There has been speculation the White Sox might trade the 31-year-old Abreu to obtain more prospects for their youth movement. However, Abreu does not want to leave.

❚ Left fielder Nicky Delmonico began a rehab assignment July 6 with Class AA Birmingham (Ala.). He has been on the disabled list since May 19 because of a broken right hand.

CLEVELAND INDIANS

Left-handed reliever Andrew Miller will remain sidelined through at least the All-Star break. Miller is making progress in his recovery from patellar tendinitis in his right knee, an injury that has sidelined him since May 26. He threw 31 pitches during a bullpen session July 5.

However, because the Indians have a sizable lead in the American League Central, they do not want to rush Miller back.

Miller began the season by pitching 10 scoreless innings before going on the disabled list because of a strained left hamstring. He then had a 14.54 ERA in 4 1 / 3 innings following his return before going back on the DL.

❚ Right-hander Carlos Carrasco (bruised right forearm) got the win in his return from the DL on July 6, allowing three runs in 5 1 /3 innings against the Oakland A’s.

DETROIT TIGERS

Niko Goodrum has been a big surprise for the Tigers. Goodrum spent eight seasons in the Twins’ farm system before getting called up to the major leagues last September. The Tigers signed him as a minor league free agent in the offseason after Minnesota dropped him from its 40-man roster.

Now, Goodrum is Detroit’s primary second baseman after Dixon Machado was designated for assignment July 5. Goodrum was hitting .251 with eight home runs and seven stolen bases through July 8 and compiled a .464 average and two four-hit games during the first seven days of the month.

Machado began the season as the starting second baseman but hit just .206 with one homer in 67 games.

❚ Closer Shane Greene (shoulder) likely will be ready to be activated from the disabled list July 12, the first day he is eligible. He has converted 19 of 22 save opportunities and has a 4.03 ERA in 39 games.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

Alcides Escobar’s streak of 421 consecutive games started, which dated to 2015, ended July 8 when the utility player was not in the lineup against the Boston Red Sox.

Escobar, 31, was removed as the everyday shortstop last month and started playing other positions.

❚ Right-hander Jason Hammel was demoted from the rotation to the bullpen after going 211 with a 6.16 ERA in 18 starts. Rookie right-hander Burch Smith will move from a relief role and make his first career start July 11 at Minnesota. Smith is the second Rule 5 Draft pick in the Royals’ rotation along with righty Brad Keller.

MINNESOTA TWINS

Jorge Polanco got off to a solid start after sitting out the first 80 games of the season while serving a suspension for testing positive for a performance- enhancing drug.

The 25-year-old shortstop was reinstated July 2 and went 7-for-26 (.269) with two doubles and a stolen base in his first seven games. Last season, Polanco batted .256 with 13 home runs and 13 steals in 133 games to help the Twins reach the AL wild-card game.

Manager Paul Molitor’s advice: “Be yourself. Don’t worry about trying to make an extreme impression or whatever it might be that you might try to make up for lost time. Just be the player that we know that you can be. That’ll be plenty good enough.”

❚ First-round draft pick Trevor Larnach, a right fielder from Oregon State, received a $2.55 million signing bonus after helping the Beavers win the College World Series. He was the 20th overall selection.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

MIKE MOUSTAKAS, ROYALS: The 29-year-old third baseman has spent his entire career in the Kansas City organization; he was the second overall pick in the 2007 amateur draft, and then made his major league debut four years later. However, with the

Royals in rebuilding mode, Moustakas could be dealt by the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. He was batting .254 with 17 home runs through 85 games.