Sox: No structural damage to Floyd’s elbow
The White Sox will take any type of good health news they can get these days, so the update on Gavin Floyd’s elbow injury Sunday was welcome.
Floyd had to come out of Saturday’s start against Tampa Bay with a flexor muscle strain in his right elbow.
The 30-year-old right-hander was placed on the 15-day disabled list, but an MRI revealed no structural damage.
“It is a strain, so he didn’t tear anything,” Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “No ligaments. It’s more muscular. You try to treat it and get him back as soon as you can. It looks at least like two weeks.”
Considering Floyd was twice placed on the DL last season with elbow injuries, Saturday could have been Strike 3.
Instead, Floyd should be back in the White Sox’ rotation some time in May.
“Last year, it was more on breaking balls I’d feel it,” Floyd said. “This one was more on the fastball. Hopefully I’ll recover and get back to healthy and it’ll be twice as strong.”
In 2012, Floyd was sidelined two weeks in July with elbow tendinitis. Later in the season, he was on the DL for another two weeks with a flexor muscle strain.
“Last year, it was a different spot,” Floyd said. “It was kind of the same thing (Saturday). It was one pitch and I felt it and I was like, ‘I’m going to pitch through it.’ I threw a couple more and it was just getting worse and stiffening up.
“It’s very disappointing. Any time you have something like this, it’s out of your control. You try to prevent these as much as possible with work and stretching and when it happens there’s always that processing of things. It happens. Now you just have to put in the work to get back to healthy and get back out there.”
Comeback trail:John Danks is heading to Class AA Birmingham to begin his minor-league rehab assignment, and he#146;ll start for the Barons on Thursday.Needless to say, Danks is looking forward to leaving Arizona and extended spring training.#147;To graduate from Arizona and get to move on, that#146;s a good thing,#148; Danks said. #147;There#146;s going to be a couple people there (Birmingham) and it#146;s actually run as a game. That#146;s the big thing. In extended, it#146;s like a high school scrimmage. It#146;ll be fun to get out there and pitch in an atmosphere.#148;Danks#146; return to the White Sox#146; rotation remains a mystery, but the Sox are well aware he had shoulder surgery roughly nine months ago and they#146;re going to be patient.#147;I#146;m sure they#146;re going to want a couple or a few (minor-league starts),#148; Danks said. #147;I think once I tell them I#146;m ready and they#146;re getting the positive reports back from different coaches, we#146;ll go from there.#148;Keppinger update:Jeff Keppinger missed his third straight game with back spasms Sunday, but manager Robin Ventura is hoping to get his No. 2 hitter back in the lineup Tuesday at Texas.#147;It looks like he#146;ll be good by Tuesday for sure,#148; Ventura said.BBA17012024Rays second baseman Ryan Roberts, top, watches his throw to first base after forcing out Chicago White Soxs Tyler Greene at second base during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, April 28, 2013. Tampa won 8-3. Associated PressBBABBA17891989Chicago White Sox right fielder Alex Rios (51) commits an error on a fly ball hit by Tampa Bay Rays Ryan Roberts, allowing for two runs scored, during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, April 28, 2013. Tampa Bay won 8-3. Associated PressBBABBA18011682Chicago White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez, left, tags out Tampa Bay Rays Desmond Jennings who was attempting to steal second base during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, April 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)Associated PressBBA