Following up: Rick Hahn dusts off injury-recapping skills

MILWAUKEE, WI - AUGUST 04: Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brock Holt (11) tags out Chicago White Sox second baseman Nick Madrigal (1) during a game between the Chicago White Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on August 4, 2020 in Milwaukee, WI.(Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire)

The first game home after a lengthy road trip is usually a time for Rick Hahn to sit in the dugout and debrief a throng of reporters on recent developments of the season. Most of those sessions in the last couple years have included lengthy injury recaps.

One of those two things is still in place, but it’s not the one you want. Hahn indeed had to provide summaries for the most recent fallen White Sox, but he did it through a Zoom call.

The good news is that the bad news has been worse. Running them down:

Injuries

Nick Madrigal: It originally looked like a wrist injury, but it’s officially a separated shoulder. He’ll be headed to the 10-day injured list when the White Sox have to officially alter their roster for reduction from 30 to 28 players, but Hahn said that Madrigal isn’t done for the year:

“We are optimistic that with some treatment and rehab Nick will be able to return to action for us at some point before the end of this month,” Hahn said. “However, there is the potential at some point, perhaps in the offseason, that he’s going to need a procedure to stabilize the shoulder long term.

“That’s a preliminary estimate. But right now, he’s headed to the 10-day IL. Again, we are optimistic he’ll be able to rejoin us on the field active by the end of this month.”

It’s not Madrigal’s throwing arm, which is good since he needs every bit of it to play defense as well as he does. The question is whether this will affect his power, and while your response may question what power I’m even talking about, it’s kinda like a pitcher who succeeds at 88 mph being asked to win at 85. Even guys with low thresholds for success have to clear them.

Edwin Encarnación: He experienced some inflammation of the left sternovlavicular joint on Tuesday, which, unlike Madrigal, was the area he immediately physically indicated on the field. Hahn said he may be able to avoid the injured list, and the White Sox have options for DH.

Tim Anderson: He’s heading to Schaumburg to rehab, with the intent of rejoining the White Sox next week. His presence would allow the White Sox to reduce the filler at second base (Ryan Goins?) and provide right-handed power if Encarnación isn’t an option (Yermín Mercedes?).

Reynaldo López and Carlos Rodón: James Fegan says that the White Sox expect both starters to be “sidelined for weeks instead of months.” Rodóns MRI came back clean, so the hope is that he just had a battle with soreness. López just started throwing, as he battled a stomach bug* in Schaumburg.

(*One byproduct of the pandemic is that teams can no longer sum up every non-injury absence as “flu-like symptoms.” Kris Bryant and Terry Francona are the most notable cases of specifying gastrointestinal distress, so there may not be a real graceful way of disguising a case of trouser chili anymore.)

The fifth starter spot

With Rodón out, the White Sox don’t have a firm plan for what would be his next start on Saturday. Hahn eliminated the two most intuitive calls: promoting Dane Dunning or elevating Ross Detwiler.

Regarding Dunning, the White Sox may be taking cues from López, Rodón and Jimmy Lambert, taking care to make sure that he’s prepared for the intensity of a real game, or at least in a regimented place to overcome whatever “dead arm” period may arise in his return to a routine.

“I can say right now, Dane Dunning’s not going to be the guy we go to on Saturday when Carlos’ first vacated spot comes up,” Hahn said Wednesday. “He’s continuing to build up his endurance and essentially is a guy who is coming back as a starter post-TJ without the ability to go on rehab assignments.

“We have a very strict program he’s following, and it doesn’t quite include making his major league debut come this Saturday. But at some point we’re going to let him in.”

As for Old Hoss Detwiler, it’s good to see that the Sox are doing what they can to avoid falling into the same trap where they ask too much from a good thing going. Detwiler will likely factor into Saturday’s game, but as part of a bullpen game/opener situation, rather than as a starter expected to go five.

Update

The White Sox moved Madrigal to the injured list to accomplish half of the required player reductions. For the other, they optioned Nicky Delmonico to Schaumburg.

(Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire)

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As Cirensica

No need to apologize Jim.

ParisSox

So you say. I’ve been waiting all day for this. Dadgummit.

As Cirensica

Me too, I generally read his articles when I eat my lunch, so today I have to settle with a Doug DeMuro’s youtube video of the new Mini Cooper JCW GP which costs an outrageous USD 50,000. You can watch it here:

I prefer Jim’s articles thuogh.

andyfaust

I noticed you’ve really been pushing the Old Hoss nickname for Detwiler. And I gotta say… I like it! I know they aren’t officially making him a starter, but if he continues to do well in his expanded role, I’ll start using it too.

What do you all think is a good price for a Trevor Bauer rental? I feel like all the uncertainty and expanded playoff pool lowers the asking price. But then again, more teams in contention could drive the price up for guys like him. I don’t think Cincinnati are sellers just yet but they (and several others) could already be one series sweep away from making that decision.

dwjm3

“trouser chili”

If you were planning to eat Chili for dinner tonight you probably aren’t now. lol

Drdoctor

Even this mention of chili made me want chili.
However, if you eat pasta w/ trouser chili, is that just Cincy chili?

polishwith

Better get your D-pants on!

asinwreck

Francona’s malady sounds concerning. “Three days of tests at the Cleveland Clinic” is not a sentence I want written about my schedule.

Jason.Wade17

Former White Sox “prospect” Eddy Alvarez (the olympic speed skater) made his MLB debut yesterday with the Marlins. Pretty cool for him to get a debut at 30 years old.

Also, disappointed by the Dunning comments. I get it, but I also just want to watch him pitch. Especially if they decide to go with a bullpen day, it would have given them the chance to have him open for a few innings and then run out the bullpen.

Willardmarshall

Good for Alvarez. Always glad to see a unheralded guy make the show, however briefly….

asinwreck

Very happy for Alvarez. What a career, and he’s definitely going to have a SABR biography one day.

As Cirensica

I guess Saturday will go with recently promoted Lail starting the game until troubles come around, and then a bunch of relievers.

dwjm3

Zack Collins at DH tonight…sigh

dwjm3

I’d play McCann over him. I realize McCann hits lefties better but I don’t have much faith in Collins. I also don’t like running out Garcia, Collins, and Mendick all at once.

Neat_on_the_rocks

I like it. The Brewers are starting Lindblom, a righty that Collins should have a good chance against. The only other choice on the roster is James Mccann. I dont hate that they’re going with Collins at all. As young and raw as he is, he still has a better eye than anyone on the team not named Grandal.

Looking at the lineup i’m actually excited. Feels like the first time in forever the Sox have been able to throw 5 lefties against a RHP. Granted one of those is Leury who almost doesn’t count as a lefty at the moment.

asinwreck

The Cubs picked up Kelvin Herrera.

polishwith

Enjoy!

Milky✌️

Good luck with all that!