Sox outfielder Oscar Colas has the tools, but the team hasn’t been shy about showing he needs to prove it on the field. Colas was in the first round of spring-training cuts after starting last season on the major league roster.

He was recalled Sunday because of an Achilles injury to left fielder Andrew Benintendi that required a stint on the injured list. Colas is running out of chances to prove he belongs in the majors.

“At this level, you’ve got to perform,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “I love his tools; everybody does. You’ve got to go do it. I’ve been talking about opportunity for the last couple of weeks and here it is. This is a great opportunity for you to show the industry that you belong in the big leagues.”

Grifol was impressed with Colas’ plate vision and discipline after his ninth-inning walk following an eight-pitch at-bat against reliever Hector Neris. He wants Colas to cut down on the chase tendency that has plagued him throughout his career — Colas struck out 71 times and walked 12 in 75 major-league games last season.

Colas started in right field on Wednesday night.

“I’m not saying the at-bat last night is going to give him four at-bats today, but it certainly helped him,” Grifol said. “I liked the way he took that at-bat against a pretty damn good major-league pitcher. He’s going to get another opportunity today.”

Sosa’s role

With around 38,397 fans in attendance Tuesday at Wrigley Field, infielder Lenyn Sosa temporarily silenced the majority pro-Cubs crowd with a two-run homer.

Entering Wednesday, Sosa has slashed .186/.214/.320 in 261 major-league plate appearances. Success has eluded him throughout the early part of his career in the majors, but at the Triple-A level, he’s had success, slashing .284/.355/.627.

“Everything is part of the process, every ballplayer is different,” Sosa said. “Right now, I’m focusing on executing my plan. Following that instinct on how to play the game because I know that I can do it. I have done it in Triple A, I know I can do it here too.”

Sosa said he feels comfortable at both second and third base and wants to take advantage of his current role.

“I just want to see Sosa relax and play the game the way he played it last night and the way he played it in Milwaukee,” Grifol said. “The way he fielded, the way he looked, he looks relaxed. He’s got some pop in his bat. The ball sounds a little different, as we saw yesterday.”

Team effort

Grifol ripped into his team after he called the team’s effort “flat” after a series sweep vs. the Orioles. Since that game, the team has lost seven straight games, but the manager said he is more pleased with the team’s readiness.

“I have zero complaints about the effort, the energy, the willingness to play, the work we do, just the way they go about it, the energy in the dugout, the adjustments they make when I pinch-hit, how they root for their teammates,” Grifol said.

The Sox have blown a lead in an MLB-worst 21 games and have tied for the second-longest losing streak in team history.