Hand Injury Sidelines Konerko, Temporarily
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko, set to retire at the end of the season, is out indefinitely with a broken bone in his left hand.
The 38-year-old Konerko was injured playing first base Tuesday against Minnesota. Manager Robin Ventura said Friday that he expects Konerko to play again this season, but that he will miss Chicago's three-game series against Cleveland.
"He's not real happy because this is a bad time for it to happen," Ventura said. "It is Paul Konerko Month, after all. It's painful, but the trainers have told him he can't do any more damage to it by playing. As soon as the pain becomes manageable, he'll resume baseball activities, but it will probably take a week."
The White Sox will hold Paul Konerko Day on Sept. 27 at U.S. Cellular Field during the final weekend of the season. Konerko has played for the White Sox since 1999 and is the team's captain. He also was honored in a pregame ceremony in Minnesota on Wednesday.
The White Sox said Konerko fractured the sesamoid bone in his hand.
"Paulie noticed it Thursday while walking around," Ventura said. "He knew something wasn't right, but he's not positive how it happened. We think it was on a tag play at first base Tuesday in Minnesota, on a bunt by (Danny) Santana.
Konerko is batting .220 with five homers and 22 RBIs in 84 games this season. The six-time All-Star is 41st on the career home run list with 439.
Konerko announced in December that he would retire after the season, his 18th in the majors.
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