Gonzalez returns, gives Chicago White Sox a solid start
If the Chicago White Sox decide to trade Chris Sale and/or Jose Quintana this off-season, they're going to need starters for the 2017 rotation.
Even if Sale and Quintana both return next year, Miguel Gonzalez continues to make a strong case to be part of the starting five.
Coming off the disabled list and making his first start since Aug. 11, Gonzalez pitched 6⅓ innings in the Sox's 2-0 win over the Tigers on Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
Signed in early April to a one-year, $5.1 million contract, Gonzalez is 3-6 with a 3.81 ERA in 21 games (20 starts) with the White Sox.
The Sox took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Jose Abreu's home run off Detroit starter Matt Boyd. In the fifth, Jason Coats doubled with one out and scored on Omar Narvaez's single.
Shields update:
On Monday, the White Sox said struggling starting pitcher James Shields was dealing with a sore back and shutting him down for the rest of the season was a possibility.
A day later, Shields said a doctor checked the back and he's feeling good enough to start Saturday against the Kansas City Royals.
"I've been through a lot worse than this in my career," Shields said. "It's just a minor setback, not a big deal. I feel pretty good right now."
It is not been a good season for Shields. The 34-year-old right-hander is a combined 5-17 with a 6.07 ERA in 28 starts for the Sox and the Padres.
Acquired in a June 4 trade from San Diego, Shields is 3-10 with a 7.50 ERA in 17 starts for the White Sox.
The Sox owe Shields $10 million in each of the next two years, so they can only hope this was an off season.
"Some years you have a really good feel for the baseball and some years you don't," Shields said. "Unfortunately, this year I haven't felt it like I wanted to. I've been a bulldog my whole career and I'm going to assess things this off-season and hopefully finish strong.
"I love it here. Hopefully the fans will stick with me a little bit, believe in me and we can get better next year."
Ventura future?
General manager Rick Hahn was again asked about the future for manager Robin Ventura and the rest of the White Sox's coaching.
Hahn said no announcement is coming until the season ends. He also acknowledged the difficult situation.
"Regardless of what profession you're in, nobody enjoys uncertainty about their own situation or security for their family going forward," Hahn said. "At the same time, everyone here knows this is the business we've chosen and with that comes certain difficulties from time to time when a team doesn't achieve to the level we anticipated, that we all had hoped for.
"Again, it's not a situation any of us wanted to be in, but this is where we're at and as a result we're going to have to make some tough decisions over the coming weeks and months."