White Sox acting manager Miguel Cairo disclosed Wednesday that Garcia hasn't appeared in a game since Sept. 20 due to ongoing back soreness, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
Garcia was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Aug. 27 after a brief absence due to a lower-back strain, and the pain apparently resurfaced at some point shortly thereafter. According to Cairo, the back issue affects Garcia at the plate but not in the field, which explains why the White Sox have declined to place the 31-year-old back on the IL while he's capable of serving as a late-inning defensive replacement. Garcia will wrap up the 2022 campaign with a .210/.233/.267 slash line in 315 plate appearances.