Remember last week when the Chicago White Sox organization said that John Danks would be in rehab soon and possibly returning? Well it isn’t looking like that is going to happen anytime soon.
The injured Sox pitcher threw 61 pitches in a rehab start down in Charlotte and things were looking up. However, a couple days later, Danks experienced major shoulder pain and team doctors set him up for another MRI. The result was “a mild Grade 1 strain of Danks’ subscapularis muscle.” While I’m not exactly quite sure what that means in medical terms, I know what it means for White Sox fans. No John Danks for at least another three months.
- Sox fans won’t be seeing this anytime soon
While this news is unfortunate, there is a bright side. And his name is Jose Quintana. The 23 year-old Sox call-up has pitched 35.1 innings this year and is the proud owner of a 1.53 ERA. Quintana’s dominant performances since Danks’ injury has some people even saying “John who?”
However, fellow starters Gavin Floyd and Philip Humber have fallen on hard times since the White Sox pushed into first place. Floyd can’t seem to find that killer curveball he’s had the past few years and Humber has been hit-or-miss ever since his perfect game. Even though Humber has been more consistent than Floyd, fans calling for Floyd to be sent down will have to wait. Humber was just put on the DL for elbow pain, causing the Sox to call up Dylan Axelrod once again.
Axelrod hasn’t thrown enough this year to make any assumptions about his future performance. It will be interesting to see how he fits into the starter role, though. Personally I’m relieved that Zach Stewart was sent back to the minors. His last performance gave Ventura no reason to think he could effectively become a starter and now it is time to give another pitcher a chance.
All in all, there are many changes happening for Sox pitching. Axelrod knows he’ll need to bring his best stuff tonight against the Brewers. If he doesn’t, I’m sure that Humber going to the DL won’t be the only roster move happening this week.
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