Jammed shoulder doesn't slow down Adam Eaton

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KANSAS CITY -- In somewhat of a surprise, Adam Eaton returned to the White Sox starting lineup on Saturday, less than 24 hours after an early exit.

Normally, Eaton -- who left in the fourth inning of Friday’s game with a jammed shoulder -- would sit out the next day. But a series of factors led to the leadoff man playing Saturday night, including the fact that he has been outstanding since he originally hurt the shoulder diving in Cleveland two weeks ago. Eaton said he also received an “all clear” when he had an MRI performed during Friday’s game.

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And, of course, the White Sox are in desperate need of a victory and Eaton never likes to miss a day.

“It’s not a structural thing,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “It’s more of a nerve thing that isn’t going to get better in one days or two days so it’s going to be there for a while. He feels good enough to go out there and do something so we’re kind of going by that and let them. If it was something I felt he could be compromised by going out there to play he wouldn’t be in there. Usually it is the case that the guy comes out of the game the night before for some reason, you’re not going to put him back in there. In talking to Herm (Schneider) and Adam, they feel he can be out there.”

Eaton hurt himself diving in a July 25 game in Cleveland and exited a few innings later. He didn’t play the next day, either.

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Since he returned on July 27, Eaton has a .405/.490/.619 slash line with four doubles, a triple, a homer and four RBIs in 49 plate appearances.

“We've been dealing with this for a long time,” Eaton said. “Something we're going to continue to deal with and I'm glad Skip put me back in the lineup because I want to be back in there. “

“We're getting to the days where we need to make a push and I want to be part of that with these guys. They've put in hard hours all year and it's getting down to the nitty gritty right now and I don't want to take a day off. Everyone is hurting right now.”

Eaton said he had to convince Ventura some to return to the lineup. But Ventura said Schneider’s argument counts more than Eaton’s and the White Sox trainer offered his approval.

“You like the fact that Adam wants to be in there and play,” Ventura said. “But the doctors and the medical people are the ones you take more weight with.”

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