The White Sox are skipping Carlos Rodon’s next turn in the rotation due to shoulder soreness, and manager Tony La Russa told reporters (including NBC Chicago’s Maddie Lee) that the team is hopeful Rodon can pitch during the upcoming September 10-12 series with the Red Sox. That said, “when he doesn’t feel right, it’s impossible to push it,” La Russa said, noting that in the wake of Rodon’s recent injured-list stint due to shoulder fatigue, “that’s what’s concerning, that all this should add up to where right now he would be in peak form.”
Rodon missed a little over two weeks on the IL and has pitched well in two starts since returning, posting a 2.70 ERA over 10 innings. However, the Sox were easing Rodon back into action, limiting him to 144 total pitches over the two outings. La Russa said Jimmy Lambert would likely be called up to take Rodon’s spot in what has become an increasingly injury-riddled pitching staff — Lucas Giolito and Lance Lynn are also on the 10-day injured list.
The latest on other injury situations around baseball…
- Cavan Biggio and Ross Stripling are slated to begin rehab assignments at the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate, Sportsnet.ca’s Shi Davidi writes (Twitter link). Stripling was placed on the 10-day IL on August 11 with a left oblique strain and could be closer than Biggio to a return, as Stripling might be back when the Jays begin a series against the Orioles on Friday. Biggio was already on a rehab assignment for a back problem when he suffered an elbow injury two weeks ago, thus setting back his progress.
- The Giants placed outfielder Austin Slater on the seven-day concussion IL prior to tonight’s game. Left-hander Sammy Long was also sent down to Triple-A, while righty Camilo Doval and outfielder Steven Duggar were recalled in corresponding moves. Slater suffered his concussion while crashing into the outfield wall in Saturday’s game in an attempt to catch a Trea Turner home run. Now in his fifth season with San Francisco, Slater is hitting .227/.313/.395 with 10 home runs over 288 plate appearances while seeing time at all three outfield positions.
- Robert Gsellman began a rehab assignment at the Mets’ low-A affiliate today, Newsday’s Tim Healey tweets. Gsellman has been sidelined since June 21 due to a torn lat muscle, and though he’ll need multiple rehab outings due to the long layoff, he is on pace to return to the Mets bullpen before the season is out.
- Cardinals manager Mike Shildt told The Athletic’s Katie Woo and other reporters that Jack Flaherty will take the “huge step” of beginning to play catch within the next day or two. Flaherty’s season seemed to be in jeopardy when he was placed on the IL on August 25 due to a shoulder strain, though there is some optimism that the right-hander may be able to return as either a reliever or as a piggyback starter. In other Cardinals pitching news, Shildt said that Dakota Hudson will throw at least three more rehab starts as the righty continues to work his way back from Tommy John surgery. The timing will be somewhat tight, but there is some hope that Hudson can return to a big league mound this season, which would mark a tremendous recovery considering that Hudson underwent his surgery in late September 2020.
gbs42
Lots and lots of ifs for the Cardinals with four left to make a playoff push.
gbs42
…four weeks…
allweatherfan
Cards playoffs hopes ended today.
Francys01
wesstl- There is still hope. Believe it.
FletcherFan66
lol no
I’ve got a question for you: who’s gonna play 3rd when Arenado opts out?
tstats
Obviously edman
DarkSide830
Arenado, when he resigns for less, realizing he shoudlnt have opted out to start with.
EndinStealth
He has already said, repeatedly, he will not opt out after 2021. But I understand reading is hard for trolls.
17dizzy
Why Matt Carpenter when Mozeliak picks up his Option!!!! That’s how Mo Rolls!!!
andyhighroller
Arenado’s contract isn’t even bad. It decreases over time, too. $35m the next 3yrs, but $32m at 34yo, $27m at 35yo, and $15m at 36. Evan Longoria is 35 now and having a great year. They’re both career 121 ops+ guys too. Arenado is having a 120 year and Longo is 145 but still, Arenado is still an elite ball player. I mean, maybe his slight regression has to do with not being able to absolutely murder Giant’s pitching all dang year, but he will adjust over time. He’s not the type to just fall off a cliff. If he opts out I wouldn’t be shocked if he was able to get a similar dollar amount overall, perhaps less than $35m per year but it’d make up for it by paying out more in the final years of the contract. Something like $28m-$32m across the board.
If he went to the Yankees or Cincinnati he’d be a 40-50HR guy lmao
robster
Thanks to Shildt and Reyes.
tstats
I didn’t believe you… it feels like he has been in the MLB for too long but you’re right
tstats
Oops wrong thread, this was meant for the Dickerson comment… my phone is a bit wet
Binnington50
Playoff hopes ended yesterday? Math is THAT tough for you? Tsk tsk tsk.
stuffnya
Cardinals playoff hopes ended when The season started
Disjointed Team
Was that the “Cardinal Way” on display today? I also wonder what some of the players think of Harrison Bader’s constant showboating/hot dogging day in and day out? Bader also needs to send an early Christmas card to the blind, official scorer today.
Cardsfanatik redux
I hear your mom calling. She probably wants her basement back. Harrison Bader is arguably the best defensive CF in baseball. Your whining is hilarious.
Disjointed Team
Ignore the point. How does your response have anything to do with him being the biggest showboat in the game?
EndinStealth
If you think Bader is the biggest showboat in the game you should try watching more baseball.
Disjointed Team
I watch a lot. There’s not a bigger hot dog. Other guys actually can hit who are flamboyant. Other guys don’t run poor routes to a ball just so they can dive. I heard Busch Stadium ran out of mustard. Bader keeps all of it in his locker to cover himself In it.
WillieMaysHayes24
You’re such a whiny lil Cardinals hater. Don’t you have anything better to do with your time? Every single article here you are spewing the same garbage. Get a hobby.
ChiSox_Fan
Ketchup on hot dogs!
And the “jerk” store running out of you.
DarkSide830
nothing more toxic then a team claiming they have their own “way” or “attitude” or sone other garbage like that.
Disjointed Team
Darkside, the Cardinal Way is to get rid of guys like Arozarena, Garcia and now Lane Thomas, to keep Harrison Bourjos. Only this team could start a guy every single game in August while batting .154. EVERY GAME!!
Dotnet22
Go comment on another thread. You obviously have nothing else to do Darkside.
DarkSide830
overreaction?
rhswanzey
It seems unwise to rush a pitcher back from TJ with three cost controlled years ahead..
ChiSoxCity
The Sox better get it together real soon. I don’t care how big a lead you have in the division; playing like dog**** since the AS break is usually an indication you don’t belong in the postseason.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Lighten up Francis
IronBallsMcGinty
He’s not wrong though. The offense showing up every couple games isn’t a good groove to get into especially now. They pissed away the division at the end of last season. I’d really hate to see that happen again. They can win it and I wanna believe they will but nothing’s guaranteed yet.
ASapsFables
The Indians owned the White Sox last season and that continued in the final week of the regular season when the Tribe swept a four game series in Cleveland that ultimately cost them the division. The White Sox have a 5-game road series with the Indians during the last 11 days of this season so it behooves them to wrap up the AL Central before they arrive in Cleveland on September 23rd.
everlastingdave
I consider all these SP IL stints to be an acknowledgment that 4 dudes carried this team for 5 months and they earned a break. Still a shot at entering October in good health.
ChiSox_Fan
Yep.
Sox have great chance for #2 seed and are blowing home field advantage (vs Houston) for the ALDS!!
Baseball 1600
Duggar can stay on the roster. One of Slater/Dickerson can go, probably Dickerson since he’s a lefty.
Kapler's Coconut Oil
Slater has an option so it might be him.
hopper15
So does Dickerson,
geg42
Dickerson is bad far the worse fielder of the 3. His bat has been improved recently so is he up to 0.0 war replacement level.
I wonder if Ramos gets a shot. There will be a couple of weeks when AAA is done and MLB still in regular season. TBH, I am unclear about the new AAA playoff format. Sounds like another home & away best of 10?
Daryl Pauley
I got to stop thinking about today. I am emotionally sock after that 9th inning beat down. For me that would be the last and final straw for Sgt. Schildtz, I know nothing.
ASapsFables
Despite giving all their starting pitchers extra rest the White Sox continue to have nagging injury issues with their rotation. With Dallas Keuchel struggling big time, the team is down to one healthy and productive SP in Dylan Cease. This is not a good omen for the stretch run and heading into the postseason.
It’s also not as if the White Sox have all of their other key players healthy either with Tim Anderson and Adam Engel also on the IL. All this when it had appeared they were in excellent shape during the past few weeks with the return of Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert and Yasmani Grandal from even more serious injuries.
Hopefully the baseball gods will be more forgiving of the White Sox before their ALDS playoff series begins on October 7th.
Idioms for Idiots
@Aaron Sapoznik
Amen to that!
Luckily for the Sox, these injuries didn’t happen 3 weeks later than they did. The Sox would be in some serious trouble. They are no means out of the woods yet, but at least right now there’s time for them to get healthy enough by Oct 7 (assuming they don’t do the unthinkable and blow a 9 1/2 game lead with 25 to go).
ohyeadam
Rodon looking for a one year make good deal this off-season? Or might some team take the leap of faith for into the long term ?
IjustloveBaseball
Was just thinking the same thing — if he can finish out with a couple regular season starts and stays healthy during the postseason, I think he’s still capable of netting a multi-year deal.
Definitely wouldn’t be surprised if he had to settle for another 1-year pact, however.
cwsOverhaul
Would gladly settle for 1 win out of 3 in Oakland with Lambert/Keuchel/Lopez. Tribe can still make them nervous with 4 gamer now against porous Twins. Would also like to see Moncada and Eloy “grow up” to hit better RHPs. They are overdue to step up. Robert and Vaughn are pups who deserve patience. Currently injured TA and Abreu (Grandal some) can’t carry the whole lineup whenever they play strong competition.
ASapsFables
The White Sox will also be facing a more desperate Red Sox team when they return home this weekend from Oakland. Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito could return for that series after their IL stints. With any luck, Carlos Rodon might also be feeling better by then. The 3-game set with the A’s starting on Tuesday is important but the biggest news regarding the White Sox may be the status of their 3 ailing horses as they continue to throw side sessions this week.
Tim Anderson might also return this weekend from his left hamstring strain. As for Adam Engel, who knows? He was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment from his left shoulder inflammation with Triple-A Charlotte this past weekend.but that did not happen. There is no word on why there’s been a delay.
The better news is that following this weeks 6 games versus wild cards contenders the White Sox schedule becomes more favorable. After the Red Sox series their toughest series over the last 3 weeks of the regular season will be the 5 games in Cleveland from 9/23-9/26 followed by a two game home series versus the Reds on 9/28 and 9/29. Their other remaining 12 games are versus the Angels (3), Rangers (3) and Tigers (6).
ChiSoxCity
Until Robert stops swinging at pitches two feet off the plate (in the dirt no less), he’s an easy out against decent pitching.
The answer to EVERYBODY’S woes in the Sox lineup is take more walks. Only swing at pitches up and in the zone, and you get better pitches to hit, generally speaking.
If they don’t make that adjustment, the playoffs are going to be ugly.
jhomeslice
Robert is hitting .340 with an OPS over .900, with very good games vs the A’s, Yankees, and Jays. The Sox have plenty of issues, mostly related to injuries, but Robert’s hitting is not one of them.
ChiSoxCity
Stats are useless until you apply some context to him. If you actually watch the games (like I do), you’d know precisely what I’m talking about.
Robert will kill you if you throw anything over the plate. If you throw him balls (not strikes) low and away, he will swing at them. That’s where most of his strikeouts cone from, and it’s been his only issue since late last season.
The only patient hitters in the lineup are Granddad and TA this season.
ChiSoxCity
lol Granddad
jhomeslice
@Chisox
Robert sometimes swings at pitches out of the zone, like Abreu, and every good hitter. But an MLB hitter cannot hit .340 for any length of time if they have no sense of the strike zone, and are literally swinging at everything like you suggest. Pitchers are not stupid.
Not saying he won’t ever slump or will keep hitting .340, but to call him an easy out is kind of ridiculous, when he has been close to their best hitter for the past 3 weeks. He has an OPS over 1 with a .366 average since he came back, what do you want the guy to do? Joey Gallo is hitting .130 with 60 Ks in 120 AB’s for the Yankees. THAT’s a guy who will swing at anything. Robert has 44 K’s in 185 AB’s, compared to 73 in 200 last year. He’s cut down on them dramatically, and is nowhere near where someone like Moncada used to be, or is now.
Anyway if you are watching the games I am not sure why you would dis Robert of all players. The results don’t match what you post. Vaughn, Goodwin, Hernandez, Moncada are all performing way under Robert and are why they are not scoring runs consistently.
Jmrinaz
JF and DH should both be shut down for the remainder of the season. The Cardinals September schedule get significantly tougher with Padres, Dodgers and Brewers all month long. News flash- we’re not winning the pennant this year. So get ready for next year!
Disjointed Team
All the 2nd WC is proving is just how top heavy baseball has become. None of these teams “fighting” for that ridiculous 2nd WC are worth a sh$$.
WillieMaysHayes24
Same can be said of you and your comments.
Disjointed Team
See above. Good God! Please come up with a counter argument or STFU.
WillieMaysHayes24
There is no argument. You’re a pos troll who has no life.
And please, make me stfu, internet tough guy.
Disjointed Team
You call me an internet tough guy after calling me a pos troll. That’s rich…BIT$$.
But the very best part is you saying I have no life, and yet, here you are responding to me AGAIN.
ChiSox_Fan
You two – get a room!
WillieMaysHayes24
You respond immediately, hence, you have no life.
Did the Cardinals run a train on your w.h.o.r.e. mother or something?
chuckyvees
The AL East and NL West wildcard teams would be leading or within a game or two of other division leaders. The teams fighting for the 2nd WC would be within a half game (Reds) or 4.5/5 games (Jays, Sea, Oak) if the division lead if they were located elsewhere. All of these teams have had one bad stretch but otherwise good seasons. That 2nd wildcard gives teams/fans a chance to play prove themselves in the playoffs. Too many great teams in the past have been left without a chance because of a bad few weeks.
TalkSomeSense
Disjointed
Go look at the AL WC race as a counter argument.
trussell
Hope Slater will be okay