White Sox outfielder Brooks Baldwin sidelined by right elbow inflammation

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Brooks Baldwin’s injury is a hit to an already thin outfield group for the White Sox.

Baldwin hasn’t played since March 6 because of right elbow inflammation. He said he felt the injury while throwing to bases recently.

“Talking to the trainers, we got an image, we got everything done,” Baldwin said Friday. “But a lot of soreness in there, [we're trying] to get it to calm down and take it day to day and see where we’re at.”

The severity of the injury has yet to be determined. The Sox are checking in on Baldwin daily, but they haven't made any decision regarding Opening Day.

With the infield largely set, Baldwin was going to play more exclusively in the outfield. The Sox hope that with more familiarity and consistency, Baldwin can deliver a better defensive performance than he did last season. He has the athleticism for either corner outfield spot, but he struggled with reads.

At the plate, Baldwin was building on his success from last season. He batted .253 with a .769 OPS and a wRC+ of 112. Baldwin found success when he reverted to a more open batting stance that he utilized at UNC Wilmington. The wider stance allowed Baldwin to keep his head still.

“I thought at-bats were going good [in spring training],” Baldwin said. “I saw the ball well. Defensively, [I] was getting good jumps in the outfield and tracking balls down pretty well.”

Baldwin said he dealt with elbow soreness last season. He doesn’t feel that anything is torn, but he’s going to consult with more specialists for a more definitive ruling.

If Baldwin is forced to miss time, the Sox’ outfield decision becomes dicier. Tristan Peters and Derek Hill are both glove-first outfielders who struggle at the plate — Hill is a better defender — and both are already on the 40-man roster. Manager Will Venable has praised Hill’s “elite defense,” and said he’s a player who is still coming into his own.

Jarred Kelenic — who started Friday's game in center field and got a base hit — brings more upside as a former top prospect with more pop in his bat.

Aside from the rotation, the outfield is the most interesting roster battle as the start of the season nears.

Espresso time

Fresh off his appearance with Team Italy, catcher Kyle Teel wants an espresso machine in the Sox dugout.

Italy had one at the 2023 WBC and continued the tradition this year. Royals first baseman and Italy captain Vinnie Pasquantino came up with the idea of celebrating each home run with a shot of espresso.

Teel said he brought the idea up to the club and that it’s a “good reward system.”

“Whatever gets the guys going,” manager Will Venable said. “If it’s an espresso in there, it’s fine by me.”

White Sox 4, Cubs 2

• Right-hander Davis Martin threw four scoreless innings, striking out four and allowing one hit with no walks.

• Catcher Korey Lee hit a solo homer in the fifth inning.

• Outfielder Everson Peiera hit his first home run of spring training in the sixth inning.

On deck: Dodgers vs. White Sox, 1:05 p.m., Saturday, Glendale, Justin Wrobleski vs. Mike Vasil.