The White Sox announced today that southpaw Carlos Rodon has been placed on the 10-day injured list. He’ll be replaced by righty Lucas Giolito, who was activated to take the ball this evening. Dylan Covey will ultimately move into the rotation to take Rodon’s place for whatever duration he’s sidelined.
Rodon is dealing with an “edema in the flexor mass,” James Fegan of The Athletic was among those to report (via Twitter). That initial diagnosis doesn’t provide a clear picture of Rodon’s outlook, but it seems as if there’s some reason for worry here. “Everything is on the table,” GM Rick Hahn told reporters including Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link) when asked about the possibility of Tommy John surgery.
Rodon had been off to an interesting, albeit uneven opening to the season. He’s averaging 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings, nearly twice the rate he managed last year. Rodon is carrying a personal-best 12.1% swinging-strike rate despite losing a full mile per hour on his average fastball. Going to his four-seamer instead of his sinker may be helping generate whiffs, though Rodon has seen year-over-year rises in hard contact and batting average on balls in play.
Despite solid marks from ERA estimators (3.52 FIP, 3.89 xFIP, and 3.92 SIERA), the 26-year-old southpaw carries a 5.19 ERA through 34 2/3 innings this year. Unfortunately, it sounds as if he may need some time off before he can work on bringing his earned run average down.
Over five seasons in the majors, Rodon has contributed 529 innings of 4.08 ERA pitching. That’s not quite the level of consistent, high-end output that was hoped for when he was taken with the third overall pick of the 2014 draft. There’s still time for him to get past the health problems and chase his ceiling, but the end of his initial team control is now in sight. Rodon is earning $4.2MM this year in his second of four seasons of arbitration eligibility.
This represents the latest hit to a White Sox rotation that has been in disarray early on. Rodon and Giolito have led the staff with their 5+ earned per nine; the other three hurlers with three or more starts have earned run averages of six or more. The team already ditched Ervin Santana. While the first two outings for Manny Banuelos have gone well, it’s a limited sample and rather a thin silver lining.
Covey will get another shot at proving himself in the majors after failing to do so in 191 2/3 innings over the past two seasons. He may ultimately be joined by top pitching prospect Dylan Cease, who’s off to a nice opening at Triple-A, but a promotion still doesn’t seem to be imminent. Hahn suggested to reporters that he may end up looking for outside arms to help fill things out.
HubcapDiamondStarHalo
We’re approaching a quarter of the season being completed; it seems like in most recent seasons I find myself thinking, “There seems to be an abnormal amount of injuries this year.” Is there a source that tracks how many and how severe injuries are by year? If such a thing exists, I’d imagine it separates pitchers from all other players. My googling efforts in finding such a thing have been useless – anybody know more than me?*
*About this… I’m aware lots of people know more than me about lots of things! (laffing)
trident
Didn’t see this pop up the first time I posted. Sorry if this is a duplicate post…
rosterresource.com/category/injuries/
HubcapDiamondStarHalo
Thank you! I just now found this, too… Time to do some “I’m curious about” research…
spotrac.com/mlb/disabled-list/
Idioms for Idiots
Lovely. The last time Hahn said “Everything is on the table” with a pitcher, it was Dunning. Not to panic, but that’s certainly not going to put my mind at ease when Hahn’s already going there. We’ll see (sigh).
thorshair
This guy is always hurt
sportingdissent
They call me Mr. Glass.
SupremeZeus
Forearm tightness and everything is on the table…pretty decent idea where this is headed. White Sox rebuild continues to take torpedoes to the bow.
Priggs89
Here we go again.
Just call up Cease now so we can at least have a little fun before he’s inevitably hurt.
Melchez
Rodon would have a few great games in a row and then pitch two or three mediocre/terrible games and then another couple good games. No consistency. A solid number 4 pitcher, but he’s had to be the ace of the staff. Hope he doesn’t need TJ surgery.
Rallyshirt
Outside arm… who are the probables?
Priggs89
Probably Ervin Santana.
Rallyshirt
Kenny and Rick take a visit to Hallmark store video.
maximumvelocity
There is still a Cy Young award winner unsigned out there. One who could still be part of a winning team if you give him three years. And at this point, they need someone to just provide quality innings. Not as if they don’t have the money, either.
ASapsFables
The White Sox figure to be players for Mark Buehrle clone Dallas Keuchel once the Rule 4 June Draft is over and he no longer carries the QO stigma. They may have to overpay a bit as a current non-contender but so far nobody has been willing to come close to Keuchel’s asking price anyway. Perhaps a 3-4 year annual guarantee around the QO amount with a vesting option or two could get the job done. Make it so JR.
The White Sox could use a crafty veteran southpaw who knows how to pitch in a HR-friendly park to supplement a future rotation that looks to be composed primarily of right-handed power arms.
GarryHarris
According to the usual nonsense Ken Rosenthal made up, Dallas Kuechel will soon be a Yankee.
Dogbone
Chisox certainly do have the money, Reinsdork just is too cheap to spend any of it. And ‘will have to overpay’ – lol, ‘overpay’ – Reinsdorf, ha ha, never happen.
Rallyshirt
I prefer the term “frugal”
Prunella Vulgaris
I fancy parsimonious.
ChiSoxCity
Reinsdorf would be tight with a wooden nickel.
imindless
Crazy how pedestrian he and giolito are. Just nice talent and skills that never translated shame
Strauss
Typical. Another Sox pitcher with TJ surgery
ChiSoxCity
All part of the plan. The Sox are just priming the pump. The talent will be there. One question remains: will Hahn be allowed to close the deal by signing some big time talent when the time is right? If not, they’ll never get the fans back or win a championship.
Fred K. Burke
Just be like the Cubs and blame the pitching coach-Don Cooper. The Cubs blame their coaches all the time. Then they fire them and start all over only to repeat the process.
sjwil1
why you bringing the Cubs into this? DA
Fred K. Burke
Because they are the ONLY baseball team that matters in Chicago SH
Rallyshirt
I asked a buddy if that dugout dance party is a Cubs tradition now and he said yes. That means FOREVER!
ASapsFables
If not for bad luck the White Sox would have no luck at all…especially with their young and most promising pitchers of late!
walterfranciswhite
Maybe because the front office is just horrible at evaluating good pitching talent? They kind of lose the benefit of the doubt after consistently turning promising young arms into total duds
Priggs89
Sure, if you want to just completely ignore that the players being injured are extremely talented… Not sure how evaluating talent and being unlucky with injuries go together, but whatever floats your boat.
minoso9
The Sox need to focus their team effort and money on pitching. This team is not a contender without much better pitching. The young prospects should improve if they can avoid the injury bug. We should sign or trade for a good veteran starter. Rodon was, is and will always be injury prone, and I hope he can avoid TJ surgery. Let’s get at least one proven starter. Pitching help should be priority #1 on this improving team.
Rallyshirt
First Rodon is injured, and now Chewy dies before star wars night…
socalsoxfan78
He’s gonna have Tommy John surgery…
Prunella Vulgaris
I believe it’s time to give up on Rodon.
ChiSoxCity
Rodon’s not an ace, but he can pitch. He’ll be part of a deep rotation if the Sox don’t screw things up.
Miketime53
I think it’s time for the management to take a good hard look at this team. They are 14-15 and not that far out of first place. Their 8-9 inning guys have been great (not sold on 7th yet) lets go out and get some starters for the rotation. They were willing to spend 250mm for Machado. Let’s spend a small portion of that and get Keuchel! I don’t want to hear about 5-21 Dylan Covey joining the rotation; it’s an invitation to another 90 loss season. If Sox want to be players in the market they have to have at least a .500 record this year. Kuecel would give them a number 1 to help get there!