The injury bug has hit the Chicago White Sox once again as Friday night’s scheduled starter, right-hander Vince Velasquez, was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left groin strain, the team announced on Friday afternoon.
Rookie righty Davis Martin was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte to take Velasquez’s place on the roster and will start against the Tampa Bay Rays. Martin, 25, made his major league debut earlier this season, giving up just one run over five innings against the Kansas City Royals.
The team also reinstated pitchers Dylan Cease and Kendall Graveman as they had to sit out a series in Toronto because of COVID-19 vaccine requirements.
Velasquez, 30, joins a long list of walking wounded for the White Sox which includes fellow righty Lance Lynn (knee). Leadoff man Tim Anderson (groin) is also on the injured list as the team has dropped its first three games of their road trip playing without their star shortstop. He is expected to be out three weeks.
Eloy Jimenez (hamstring) is currently on a rehab assignment alongside Lynn while third baseman Yoan Moncada has been in and out of the lineup because of various ailments.
The team also returned pitchers Jimmy Lambert and Kyle Crick to Triple-A after they filled in for Cease and Graveman while they were on the restricted list.
The White Sox begin the day with a minus-55 run differential, second worst in the AL.