CHICAGO -- For a fourth consecutive game, Matt Davidson was out of the White Sox starting lineup.

Davidson entered Sunday hitting .324 with a 1.010 OPS, three home runs and 10 RBIs, making it seem strange one of the team's stronger bats would be sidelined for an offense struggling mightily. The White Sox also faced their fourth consecutive tough right-hander in Danny Salazar , following Masahiro Tanaka , Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco , making it seem as if the team was going with more of a platoon.

But manager Rick Renteria explained right-handed starters didn't have much to do with Davidson's absence.

"It's not so much the matchup," Renteria said. "We have other guys. We want to go ahead and give them the opportunity to face who they are facing today. Matty has shown he can hit anybody. It has nothing to do with it. It has more to do with putting the guys we have right now in a particular situation to experience this particular club."

"Obviously he has his plan that he wants to do," Davidson said. "But obviously we're all baseball players, we want to see that challenge and test our abilities. When [Todd] Frazier was out, I faced some tough righties, like Salazar and a couple of those guys. But I'm here, I'm ready to play whenever skip calls on me."

Melky Cabrera , who injured his left wrist chasing down a foul ball in Saturday's loss, moved from left field to designated hitter Sunday with Leury Garcia in center and Jacob May in left. With Frazier back from a bout with the flu, there was no spot for Davidson unless he's able to handle the outfield.

There will be more playing time for Davidson over the coming days, per Renteria. Meanwhile, Davidson stays ready for pinch-hitting duties and is prepared to build on this strong start.

"Before my first at-bat of the season here, I had one at-bat in like nine days," Davidson said. "I didn't play until a couple days before we left [Arizona], and I had one at-bat in Milwaukee, and then having those off days. It's not like this hasn't happened before.

"I'm just staying with my approach. I'm watching video and staying up, just like I'd be playing. As long as I'm doing that, I'll give myself the best chance I can."

Injury updates

Carlos Rodon (left biceps bursitis) and Jake Petricka (right lat strain) were in Chicago on Sunday to be re-evaluated by the White Sox medical staff.

"He's been getting worked on inside there," said Renteria of Rodon. "We still have to see where he's at. I don't know what he's going to do on the field yet. That's to be assessed.

"Same thing with Petricka. He's still working out. We are just bringing him in so we can see them, we can assess see how the progress is going in their rehab. Make sure everything is in line with doing the best we can to get him back on the field."

Zach Putnam, who left Saturday's game with right elbow tenderness, was available Sunday but Renteria didn't plan to use him.