AL CENTRAL NEWS AND NOTES

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

During a terrible season, the White Sox will take a reason to smile anytime they can.

Designated hitter Matt Davidson provided a moment of levity June 29 when he pitched a scoreless inning at Texas to finish an 11-3 loss to the Rangers. It was his first appearance on a mound since 2009, when he was senior in high school in Yucaipa, Calif. Davidson pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, capped by a strikeout of Rougned Odor. His teammates mobbed Davidson when he reached the dugout.

At the plate, Davidson had a team-high 14 home runs through the team’s first 83 games despite a .237 batting average.

❚ Right-hander Miguel Gonzalez’s rehab assignment at Class AAA Charlotte (N.C.) was stopped because of recurrence of pain in his shoulder. Gonzalez pitched three scoreless innings on June 24 in his lone start for Charlotte but then experienced soreness during a side session and was being re-evaluated.

CLEVELAND INDIANS

Right-hander Danny Salazar underwent arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder July 2 and won’t pitch again this season.

The 28-year-old had elbow and forearm injuries in recent seasons. Early in spring training, he complained of soreness in his shoulder and remained behind in Goodyear, Ariz., after the Indians broke camp.

Salazar was selected to the All-Star Game in 2016, when he went 11-6 with a 3.87 ERA in 25 starts. However, he was able to make just eight starts after the All-Star break and was limited to two postseason appearances, both in relief during the World Series as the Indians lost to the Chicago Cubs. Last season, Salazar pitched in only 23 games.

❚ Right-hander Carlos Carrasco was scheduled to return to the rotation July 6 after pitching four scoreless innings for Class AA Akron (Ohio) on June 30 in a 58-pitch rehab start. It was his first outing since June 16, when his right elbow was bruised by a line drive off the bat of the Twins’ Joe Mauer.

DETROIT TIGERS

Pitching Coach Chris Bosio was fired June 28 for what general manager Al Avila described as making insensitive comments to another team employee.

However, Bosio told USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale the next day that he was let go for using the word “monkey” in a conversation overheard by an African-American clubhouse attendant. Bosio, though, insisted it was not meant in a racial or demeaning context.

Bosio said he used the word while talking about left-handed reliever Daniel Stumpf, who is white. Bosio said Stumpf is nicknamed “Spider Monkey” because of the faces he makes while lifting weights.

However, Stumpf told The Detroit Free Press that he had never heard Bosio refer to him by that nickname.

Bullpen coach Rick Anderson is replacing Bosio on an interim basis for the remainder of the season. Anderson was the Twins’ pitching coach for 13 seasons under current Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire.

❚ Stumpf was activated from the disabled list July 2 after recovering from a sore elbow, but it was because closer Shane Greene (shoulder) had to go on the DL after a noticeable drop in his velocity the previous day. Right-hander Joe Jimenez was expected to pick up the bulk of the save opportunities.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

Jorge Bonifacio returned to the active roster June 29 after missing nearly half the season while on the restricted list.

The outfielder was suspended for the first 80 games of the season in March when he tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic androgenic steroid.

Bonifacio played in 13 rehab games with Class AAA Omaha (Papillion, Neb.), batting .392, after taking part in extended spring training in Surprise, Ariz.

❚ Right-handed reliever Justin Grimm landed back on the disabled list June 24 because of a sore shoulder. He was shelved from April 22 to June 11 because of lower back stiffness.

MINNESOTA TWINS

The trainer’s room in the visiting clubhouse at Wrigley Field looked more like a triage unit June 30 when three Twins players left a 14-9 loss to the Chicago Cubs because of heat illness and were treated with IVs.

Left fielder Eddie Rosario exited in the bottom of the fifth after fielding a single by Anthony Rizzo. Rosario had hit a two run homer in the top of the inning.

Catcher Bobby Wilson was pulled in the middle of the sixth. He drew a walk in the top of the inning, and an athletic trainer brought water to first base for Wilson to sip and douse himself before he later scored.

Center fielder Max Kepler left in the eighth inning.

❚ Williams Astudillo, primarily a catcher at Class AAA Rochester (N.Y.), made his major league debut in the same game. He first replaced Rosario in left, and then moved to center to take Kepler’s place. Astudillo started at third base the next day and was 3-for-7 for the weekend.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

JOHN HICKS, TIGERS: The 28-year-old is being asked to fill the large void left when Detroit lost first baseman Miguel Cabrera, an 11-time All-Star, to a season-ending ruptured right biceps tendon June 12. In his first 16 games after Cabrera’s injury, Hicks batted .268 and hit two home runs. Overall, the converted catcher had a .280 batting average through 58 games with seven homers and 26 RBI.