Ever since the Chicago White Sox traded four pitchers to the San Diego Padres for Jake Peavy in a trade deadline shocker, they've been pretty cautious with their newest acquisition. Even though adding him to their starting rotation would be a nice boost for a team trying to reach the playoffs, they don't want to risk injuring Peavy's ankle, which he strained in June, any further. However, after another successful rehab start in Charlotte on Monday night, Peavy's time may be drawing near.
Jose Contreras had a horrible outing for the White Sox on Monday night in Boston -- the fourth time in his last five starts in which Contreras failed to last five innings -- and it's cost him his job in Chicago's starting rotation. Which means that they have an opening this Saturday when they face the Yankees in New York. An opening which may be filled by Peavy.
Jake Peavy received plenty of work Monday night that should help achieve his goal of joining the White Sox -- perhaps as soon as Saturday at New York against Yankees ace CC Sabathia.
Peavy put runners on base in each of the five innings he worked in his third minor-league rehabilitation appearance for Triple-A Charlotte. He also absorbed a hard single off his right pitching arm on a ball hit by Wes Timmons with two out in the fifth.
"I don't know how sore my elbow will be," Peavy said. "Obviously, that could be a factor. We'll see.
In his three rehab starts Peavy has gone 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA, allowing 10 hits in twelve innings and striking out 13. Sure, it's been against minor league competition, but that's still better than what the White Sox have gotten from Contreras or their newest fifth starter, Freddy Garcia.The White Sox may be reluctant to bring up Peavy if he can't commit to at least six innings of work in his first start, but I'm not sure how much time they can afford to waste waiting for him. They can either bring him up for Saturday and make a run at the Detroit Tigers -- Detroit leads the Central by 3.5 games -- or they can take their time and start planning for 2010.
