The White Sox have placed reliever Nate Jones on the 10-day DL, per a team announcement. Jones has been diagnosed with neuritis in his pitching elbow. Moving up to the active roster is lefty David Holmberg. To clear a 40-man spot, southpaw Carlos Rodon was moved to the 60-day DL.
Elbow issues are always scary, especially for a pitcher who underwent Tommy John surgery in the summer of 2014, but the initial prognosis seems good for Jones. The team is suggesting that it’s likely a minor issue, with Jones potentially ready to return within two weeks or so, as MLB.com’s Scott Merkin (via Twitter) and Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago (Twitter link) report. Jones was off to a bit of a slow start to the season, but had settled in nicely. He is currently on a run of seven consecutive scoreless outings over which he has racked up 13 strikeouts against just two walks.
Jones figures to represent an intriguing trade candidate this summer, so the Sox will hope he can bounce back quickly. It’s also possible that he could step into the closer’s role if the organization finds a trade partner for current ninth-inning man David Robertson.
The 25-year-old Holmberg hasn’t seen the majors since 2015, and owns only a 6.24 ERA over his 62 total big league frames. But the long-time has been pitching well as a multi-inning reliever at Triple-A thus far, with 15 13 innings of 1.76 ERA ball and a 13:5 K/BB ratio.
As for Rodon, who is still out with a biceps issue, the move to the 60-day DL is more or less just a formality. Given that he is not yet even on a rehab assignment, there was no chance he’d return within the first two months of the season, so the move won’t impact his still-uncertain timeline for returning to the majors.
Who? Nate Jones
Dropping like flies… this is getting ridiculous.
Dr. James Andrews is so busy, he can’t even set up a tee time with Yoenis Cespedes.
What the article is remiss in stating is that Nate Jones missed 16 months from April of 2014 through August of 2015 due to a minor back procedure and then Tommy John surgery on his right pitching elbow. Hopefully his current injury will be a minor issue.
You’re right. Meant to add it in and forgot. Will do so.
I believe you meant to say 15 and 1/3 innings for Holmberg.
James Andrews can start his own team with all the players coming his way.
Hahn’s decision to hold onto all these guys is looking worse and worse.
Who, other than Jones, has he held on to? Robertson is pitching well and likely has the same value now that he had a few months ago, Q started out with a couple of rough outings then has pitched well. Did Shields have a lot of teams wanting his services? Rodon was never going to be traded. Not a lot of buzz about Putnam during the off season.
Market for Q and Robertson about to get muddied by Giants, Rangers, Jays, Mets as sellers. Jones and Putman hurt. Frazier, Abreu and Melky bad. Sox hovering around .500 so fans will flip when he does try to sell.
In the meantime look at all the teams looking for front line starting pitching, some sooner rather than later. The Rangers will be without Cole Hamels for at least a couple of months and the Reds Sox just lost Steven Wright for the season while questions still remain with the health of David Price. The Giants will also be without Madison Bumgarner for a couple of months The Astros are still said to be looking for another top of the rotation pitcher. The Cubs lack rotation depth and have two impending FA’s in their rotation following the season in Jake Arrieta and John Lackey. All this and more will put a premium on a pitcher like Jose Quintana as the deadline approaches.
Btw-Southpaw Derek Holland has also been pitching excellently for the White Sox and has seemed to answered questions about his health problems from the past couple of seasons. As a FA signed by the White Sox this past offseason he cannot be flipped in a trade until June anyway.
Most White Sox fans are with the current rebuild that Rick Hahn has undertaken. Many of those also felt that it was long overdue. For most Sox fans, this is not the same situation that occurred with the “White Flag Trade” back at the summer deadline in 1997.
In addition, impending FA’s like Todd Frazier and Melky Cabrera came with relatively high price tags in their final contract season with the White Sox this year. It made more sense for the club to hang on to them as the July 31st deadline approaches since only two months will remain of their 2017 contract obligations after that date. A market that was pretty void for LF’s and 3B this past offseason may also develop for each as the deadline looms. Frazier was also hurt late in the offseason, throughout spring training and had an extended illness early on in April. He needed to prove his health to potential suitors before a deal becomes more of a possibility.
I also don’t believe Jose Abraeu will be going anywhere in the short term. The White Sox will want him on their roster once fellow Cuban Yoan Moncada gets promoted later this season. He will likely also be used to help recruit top OF prospect Luis Robert in the coming weeks and month. Like Cabrera and Frazier, a great market does not currently exist for first baseman.
I’m sure it’s enlightening stuff, but I’m not reading all that.
Yankees will get Jose Q very soon. They have minor leaguers to steal him
Another hard blow to the Sox pitching staff. I don’t expect much from Rodon this year. Other staff members will have to step up i.e. Miguel Gonzalez. I’m hoping the Sox can keep their young prospects down on the farm for as long as possible. The Mets are another team with a damaged pitching staff.
So a spot is open in Charlotte now. Why not give Blake Smith a call. He was reliable last year. The Sox cut him on the last day of ST and never even gave him a shot again in Charlotte. What do they have to lose?