CHICAGO -- With John Danks’ return unlikely for at least a month, the Chicago White Sox’s pitching rotation isn’t likely going to change anytime soon.
The staff will be
Jake Peavy,
Gavin Floyd,
Chris Sale,
Jose Quintana and
Philip Humber going forward.
In Peavy, Sale and Quintana, the White Sox possess three reliable starters. Peavy (6-2, 2.91) and Sale (8-2, 2.46) are likely headed to the All-Star Game, and Quintana hasn’t allowed more than two runs in any of his five starts.
Floyd and Humber are the wild cards.
If Danks hadn’t had a setback, the assumption was the White Sox would have kept Quintana in the rotation and moved Floyd or Humber to the bullpen. But now, that isn’t an option, and the White Sox need more from Humber (3-4, 6.01 ERA) and Floyd (4-7, 5.63 ERA).
“They don’t go out there and not trying to pitch well,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said prior to Tuesday’s game. “It’s more of trying to get them right. … They’re going to give them what they have, and their stuff is good enough, so we’re counting on them to pick it up just like everybody else.”
Ventura believed in Floyd’s case it was a matter of him focusing more on his struggles. Floyd will pitch the finale of the Chicago Cubs’ series on Wednesday.
“It’s one of those things baseball isn’t as easy (as) you’re going to sprinkle dust on him and he’s going to do better,” Ventura said. “It’s a total thing of working at it and getting better at locating pitches and keeping guys off base.
“I think for him he knows the things that he’s kind of shooting himself in the foot and it’s for him to take care of.”
