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White Sox' Lindstrom not ready to move off DL

If all he had to do was throw, injured White Sox closer Matt Lindstrom probably would be back in uniform by now.

But until he is able to move back and forth and side to side, Lindstrom is going to remain on the disabled list.

The 34-year-old reliever has been out since May 19, when he tore a tendon in his left ankle trying to field a bunt at Kansas City. After having surgery, Lindstrom was ruled out for three months.

Lindstrom met up with the Sox on Monday and was scheduled to visit with team doctors.

"I feel like I'm doing pretty good," he said. "Talking to the trainers and stuff, they think I'm about a week ahead of schedule from acupuncture and laser treatments and stuff I did while I was away from the team.

"I'm pretty optimistic about it. I've already played catch without the boot on three or four times. It feels pretty good. I'm excited to get going, and I tried to do whatever I could the last month once I got that cast off to speed up the healing process a little bit with those different types of treatments and stuff."

Lindstrom had some issues closing games for the White Sox after spending most of his career as a setup man, going 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA while blowing 3 saves in nine tries. But his replacement, Ronald Belisario, also has struggled, and Zach Putnam, Jake Petricka and Javy Guerra all are candidates to move into the closer's role.

"Anytime you have to go through something like that in the middle of a season, it's tough," Lindstrom said. "Guys being asked to do things that they have never really done before, but you can look at the bright side also down the road, guys in this bullpen, they will have a ton of experience through these later-inning roles as we go forward.

"It's not going to be a surprise to them. You have to learn sometime. It's good for them."

Santiago's back:

It has been a tough season for left-handed pitcher Hector Santiago, who was traded to the Los Angeles Angels over the winter in the three-way deal that brought center fielder Adam Eaton to the White Sox.

Santiago is 0-7 with a 4.08 ERA, and he has bounced between the Angels' rotation, bullpen and Class AAA Salt Lake City.

"It was definitely tough," Santiago said. "I came over and put a lot more pressure on myself. I guess they knew what they were getting in me coming over, but I expected more out of myself. I tried to do more than what I tried to do with the White Sox."

Montas out of Future's Game:

Named to the World team for the All-Star Future's Game last week, Class A Winston-Salem starting pitcher Francellis Montas is out for the season with a knee injury.

Montas, acquired from the Boston Red Sox last July in the Jake Peavy trade, was 4-0 with a 1.60 ERA in 10 starts at Winston-Salem.

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