The White Sox are getting a key piece of their starting lineup back, but watching another hit the Injured List.
Prior to Friday night’s game, the White Sox made a total of six roster moves. Among them, the team announced that designated hitter Eloy Jimenez has been reinstated from the injured list. The White Sox also revealed that reliever Tanner Banks has been recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.
The additional roster moves include:
- Yoan Moncada placed on 10-Day IL (retroactive to April 11) with lower back soreness
- Optioned RHP Jesse Scholtens to Triple-A Charlotte
- Transferred RHP Matt Foster (right flexor strain) to the 60-Day IL
- Claimed IF/OF Nick Solak from the Seattle Mariners and optioned him to Charlotte
The 26-year-old Jimenez had gotten off to a slow start this season, hitting just .211/.318/.316 with a 79 wRC+ through the team’s first five games. He has yet to see any time in the outfield this season, and it’s likely that streak will continue, at least during his immediate return.
Moncada, on the other hand, got off to a scorching hot start at the plate, but was just 1-for-14 in his last three games before hitting the injured list. Back problems also hampered Moncada a bit during the Spring, so hopefully he will be able to rest up and put these back concerns to rest before the heat of the season
As for Banks, the 31-year-old lefty made his major league debut with the White Sox last season after eight seasons in the minors with the club. In 35 appearances, he was 2-0 with a 3.06 ERA, striking out 49 in 53 innings of work. Banks did not make the team out of Spring Training, and in five innings of work in Charlotte, has given up just one run (1.80 ERA).
Banks was chosen over fellow multi-inning reliever Jesse Scholtens, who made his major league debut this season. Scholtens appeared in just two games with the White Sox before being optioned, giving up one run in three innings of work in Pittsburgh while also being on the mound during the extra-inning walk-off loss against the Twins earlier this week.
While Pedro Grifol works to perfect his bullpen staff throughout the early part of the season, it’s likely that the case of players will continue to rotate, so long as they have options available.
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Featured Photo: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports
Funny how Moncada seemed perfectly healthy and productive playing for the Cuban national team but has been nothing but injured since his return to the Sox. I’m not sayin….just sayin.
Not just Moncada, it seems as though the field players arrive in Arizona healthy and a month later depart physically vulnerable. The starters have a season long pitch-count issue which in turn burdens the relievers who collectively cannot carry the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th unscathed two games in succession.