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Sox stand pat on trade front

If a player was going to be pulled off the field and traded during Thursday afternoon's White Sox-Tigers game at Comerica Park, John Danks was a prime candidate.

Even though he was starting against Detroit, Danks' name had popped up in trade rumors leading up to Thursday's nonwaiver deadline. The Yankees were reportedly interested in the Sox' left-hander, and so were the Marlins.

But the player that came out of the game after being dealt was the Tigers' Austin Jackson. In a three-way trade, the center fielder was sent to the Mariners, with ace David Price joining Detroit from the Rays.

Drew Smyly, who started for the Tigers on Thursday and was gone after 5 innings, was traded to Tampa Bay.

The White Sox beat Detroit 7-4 Thursday and won two of three in the series against the first-place Tigers. The Sox are now 53-56 and 7 games behind Detroit in the AL Central.

Adam Eaton continued to play well in the second half, and the Sox' center fielder was 3-for-5 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored.

Jose Abreu also continued to do damage, extending his hitting streak to 20 games while going 3-for-3 (2 doubles) and drawing 2 intentional walks.

Eaton's batting average is up to .296 for the season, and Abreu is hitting .305.

With the left-handed Smyly on the mound, Paul Konerko got the start at designated hitter for the Sox and was 2-for-4.

With the game tied at 4-4 in the seventh inning, Detroit reliever Joakim Soria hit Konerko with the bases loaded to force in the winning run.

There was a lot of trade action in Detroit, and around baseball, but the White Sox decided to stand pat.

Should he feel the need to change up the roster, Sox general manager Rick Hahn can still make trades in August, or he can wait for the off-season.

So for now, Danks is staying in the White Sox' rotation.

“Truthfully, it wasn't even a topic of conversation in here between anybody,” Danks told reporters after the game. “There's nothing anybody can do about it. It's part of the game, and, yeah, I don't think that had any effect on any of us, to be honest.”

Laboring through 5 innings against the Tigers, Danks allowed 4 runs on 7 hits and 4 walks.

Ronald Belisario (4-7) pitched 1⅔ scoreless innings to get the win.

Danks has been hearing trade rumors for a month or so, even though he has become a finesse pitcher following shoulder surgery and is owed $28.5 million through the 2016 season.

Also hearing whispers have been second baseman Gordon Beckham, designated hitter Adam Dunn and outfielders Dayan Viciedo and Alejandro De Aza.

For now, everybody is staying put, and with two injured players — right fielder Avisail Garcia and relief pitcher Matt Lindstrom — beginning rehab assignments with Class AAA Charlotte on Friday, maybe Hahn will let the White Sox make a run at the postseason.

The Sox are 8-5 since the all-star break and they return home for three games each against the Twins and Rangers, who are both in last place.

“If there was something there we would have done something,” manager Robin Ventura said.

“We know people are making moves all over the place, but like what was said earlier, we probably expected to have these guys in here today and tomorrow, and that's what we've got.”

White Sox pitcher John Danks throws a warmup pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning of a baseball game in Detroit, Thursday, July 31, 2014. Associated Press
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