Sox play musical chairs with rotation
Gavin Floyd has one of the best curveballs in baseball, and it’s a lethal pitch when he has the proper feel.
Floyd has also thrown more cut fastballs this season than any of his previous five with the White Sox.
Both pitches tend to take a toll on the elbow, so maybe that explains why Floyd is ailing again.
The 29-year-old starter had to make an early exit from Sunday’s game against the Mariners at U.S. Cellular Field after experiencing elbow discomfort in the first two innings.
Floyd had an MRI on Monday and no structural damage was found. Much like earlier in the season, when he was on the 15-day disabled list in July, Floyd apparently has tendinitis in the elbow.
“Everything seems to be all right,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura told reporters in Baltimore before the Sox lost to the Orioles 4-3 Monday night. “He still has something in there that they’re checking on, but nothing that will put him out the rest of the year.
“The part that concerns you is he has already had the DL stint before for the same thing and once he starts talking about it still wasn’t feeling right you just don’t like to send him back out there or to take his next start. It concerns you enough when you’re dealing with a guy’s future and his health.”
Floyd is not going to make his next scheduled start, a big game at Detroit on Friday.
Even if he avoids the disabled list, the White Sox still have to juggle their rotation.
Chris Sale stays on schedule and starts against Baltimore tonight, which sets him up for a head-to-head showdown with Tigers ace Justin Verlander on Sunday night at Comerica Park.
Jake Peavy, who was originally scheduled to start Wednesday night, has been pushed back to Friday.
That gives the veteran right-hander some additional rest and allows Peavy to face Detroit in the series opener.
“It just gives (Peavy) an extra couple days to line up against the guys we’re going against and go from there,” Ventura said. “You want your guys you’re counting on, your best guys, going and take your best shot.”
Jose Quintana stays put and pitches against the Orioles on Thursday, so the Sox need to find a starter for Wednesday night.
After Monday’s game against Baltimore, which snapped the Sox’ six-game winning streak, Ventura told reporters Dylan Axelrod is likely to come up from Class AAA Charlotte and start Wednesday. Relief pitchers Hector Santiago and Philip Humber are the other options.
Axelrod is 1-2 with a 5.63 ERA in 10 games with the White Sox this season. The right-hander is 0-2 with a 5.91 ERA in 6 starts and 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA in 4 games as a reliever.
sgregor@dailyherald.com