OAKLAND, Calif. — Dioner Navarro woke up to a text message Monday that he would start at catcher for the White Sox that night because of the Athletics’ late pitching change.
Navarro and Alex Avila, who joined the Sox on one-year contracts in the offseason, will split time this year based on matchups and health, so Navarro said it’s important to be ready at any time.
“I just come ready every day,” Navarro said. “That’s what my mentality has been my whole career. … You never know when your name is going to be called, and you have to be ready when it is.”
Navarro and Avila each caught all of the Sox pitchers during spring training, so manager Robin Ventura said he doesn’t have to stick to specific pitcher-catcher combinations. Navarro caught Chris Sale only twice in the spring, but Sale said the pairing went well Monday, when he gave up three earned runs in seven innings with one walk and eight strikeouts.
“He actually got me doing some things that I maybe wouldn’t do otherwise,” Sale said. “Kind of stepping outside of the box … throwing two-seamers in to righties. I don’t know if I’ve ever done that. Really focusing on getting the ball down too.
“He was trying to calm me down as well out there. We tried not to get too hot when things started rolling for the other team a little bit. I think we have something good going.”
Ventura said it helps that both catchers are veterans and accepting of split duties. Navarro is in his 13th season in the majors, while Avila began his eighth season Tuesday night against A’s right-hander Chris Bassitt.
“There’s not the older guy and the younger guy and the ego that goes with that,” Ventura said. “Both of these guys know they’re going to be switching in and out of there.”
Extra innings: Jimmy Rollins started his second straight game at shortstop, but Ventura said Tyler Saladino would start one of the remaining two games in Oakland. … After playing just one night game during spring training — on a split-squad day — Ventura said it was “weird” to have a night opener Monday. “It was weird sitting around all day waiting for it,” he said. “I can remember only one other time having a night game for opening day. … Day games have a little more fanfare to it.”
