Danks sent down to make room for 13th pitcher
It’s pretty safe to say Jordan Danks went out with a bang.
Two days after hitting his first major-league home run — a solo shot with two outs in the ninth inning Friday night to lift the White Sox to a 4-3 win over Oakland — Danks was optioned back to Class AAA Charlotte.
The Sox are going to call up a reliever from the minor leagues before Monday night’s game at Toronto, expanding the pitching staff to 13.
“He’s done everything you want,” manager Robin Ventura said of Danks. “But we’re running through guys in the bullpen pretty good.”
Veteran outfielder Dewayne Wise, who had his contract purchased from Charlotte on Friday, stays on the 25-man roster.
Wise started in left field Sunday and was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Danks played in 29 games with the White Sox and batted .265 with a homer and 3 RBI.
Konerko update:The White Sox are still in a holding pattern with injured first baseman Paul Konerko, but they#146;ll get some new information Monday.While the Sox are preparing to open a four-game series at Toronto, Konerko will have a thorough concussion-related exam at Rush University Medical Center.If he comes through clean, Konerko should be able to resume baseball activity and could possibly come off the seven-day disabled list Friday and play against the Royals at Kansas City.Then again, Konerko could be sidelined indefinitely.#147;It#146;s not easy to get on this list, and it#146;s not easy to get off it,#148; manager Robin Ventura said. #147;Our doctors look at it, and MLB has doctors to look at him. It#146;s not just we look at him and give him a thumbs up.#148;The Royals#146; Jarrod Dyson elbowed Konerko on the right side of the head in the seventh inning Tuesday night on a play at first base. He finished out the game but hasn#146;t played since.Ventura saw Konerko on Saturday when he checked in at U.S. Cellular Field.#147;He felt a little better (Saturday), but he hasn#146;t done any activity,#148; Ventura said. #147;Exert himself, running, work out, that#146;s really the next step. Once he feels he#146;s able to start doing things, running around and maybe swinging a bat.#147;Most of the symptoms go away, and then you try to get some activity in and see where it goes.#148;Youkilis update:Kevin Youkilis didn#146;t play Sunday, a day after getting hit by a Grant Balfour pitch on the left forearm.The third baseman also has a sore right knee, but he could be back in the lineup Monday against the Blue Jays.The left arm is the bigger concern, and Youkilis was wearing a compression bandage Sunday.#147;It#146;s stiffness,#148; Youkilis said. #147;I don#146;t know the diagnosis and all that, but it#146;s something that needs to go away, the swelling and all that. If I#146;m ready to play, I#146;ll play tomorrow.#148;BBA23592941Jordan Danks reacts after getting a shaving cream pie in his face from Alexei Ramirez, for Danks walk-off home run that gave Chicago a 4-3 win over the Oakland Athletics in a baseball game Friday, Aug. 10, 2012, in Chicago. Associated PressBBA