The White Sox will make their first visit to Coors Field since 2017 on Tuesday, but there will be a small degree of familiarity for outfielder Andrew Vaughn during the two-game interleague series against the Rockies.
Vaughn compared the spacious -dimensions of Coors Field to Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City.
“That place is huge,” said Vaughn, a former Cal standout, comparing Utah’s home to Coors Field. “That place is huge. The ball flies.”
With the exception of the distance from home plate to the right-field foul pole, the spacious dimensions are similar and could present a challenge to the Sox’ outfielders — particularly Eloy Jimenez and Vaughn because of their sore legs.
“We’ll learn what it’s like when we get there,” Vaughn said.
Coors Field’s dimensions feature a distance of 347 feet from home plate to left field, 415 feet to center field and 350 feet to right.
Saving legs
Many fans have been bewildered by manager Tony La Russa’s decision to give Vaughn occasional rest.
Their latest disappointment occurred Sunday, when Vaughn was out of the lineup after playing the first three games of the second half, including both games of -Saturday’s day-night doubleheader.
At times, Vaughn hasn’t run at full speed because of advice to preserve his legs, and Monday’s day off gave him two days to keep his legs fresh entering the Rockies series.
“Sometimes you need freshness of mind, and [sometimes] you need freshness of body,” La Russa said. “The case here, it’s freshness of body.”
La Russa recalled a pivotal moment with the Cardinals in late August 2011, when they won two of the first three games from the Pirates but he elected to rest Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and Rafael -Furcal in the series finale, despite trailing in the -National League wild-card race by five games.
The Cardinals won the game and embarked on a 21-8 surge with a well-rested -Pujols, Molina and Furcal to win the wild-card berth and the World Series.
La Russa said the decision to rest Vaughn was easy because he was running at only 75%.
“And believe me, against anybody, we want Andrew Vaughn in the lineup,” La Russa said.
Skill on the hill
Sox starting pitchers are 6-2 with a 2.84 ERA in their last 10 games and have allowed three earned runs or fewer in eight of those starts.
ON DECK
WHITE SOX AT ROCKIES
Tuesday: RHP Michael Kopech (3-6, 3.36) vs. RHP German Marquez (6-7, 5.47), 7:40 p.m., NBC Sports Chicago, 1000-AM.
Wednesday: RHP Lucas Giolito (6-6, 5.12) vs. RHP Antonio Senzatela (3-5, 4.98), 2:10 p.m., NBC Sports Chicago, 1000-AM.
