It’s getting to the point where White Sox rookies may just want to remain in the minors.
Matt Davidson became the latest victim of an odd trend afflicting the club this season when he sustained a fractured bone in his right foot in Thursday’s 6-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins at U.S. Cellular Field. Davidson, who was making his season debut, is the third White Sox rookie to be injured before or during his first game this season.
Outfielder Jason Coats exited a June 4 contest and was given a concussion test after he collided with J.B. Shuck and catcher Kevan Smith injured his back in pregame warmups before he was set to debut in Toronto on April 25 and has played one game since.
“We're hot that way,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “I think they're afraid to come up. It's odd. I think Smitty was the oddest of all of them.”
A product of a December 2013 trade that sent Addison Reed to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Davidson was promoted to the majors for the first time since September 2013 only hours earlier. He was in the midst of his best month at Triple-A Charlotte since the trade and was named to the Triple-A All-Star Game earlier this week.
Davidson’s fourth-inning RBI single drove in his first run since Sept. 27, 2013 and gave the White Sox a 4-2 advantage. But sometime during his trip around the bases — he reached third on J.B. Shuck’s double and scored when Adam Eaton was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded — Davidson injured his foot. He took an MRI late Thursday and the White Sox expect to have more information on Davidson on Friday.
“You could see it when he went from second to third,” Ventura said. “I know he's not a good runner, but it was remarkably poor at that point for him to keep going.
MLB
“It's just crazy.”
Davidson is the latest member of the White Sox to be headed for the disabled list. Earlier this month, Austin Jackson partially tore his meniscus, which required surgery, when he awkwardly stepped on a base. The team is also without three relief pitches as Jake Petricka and Daniel Webb are out for the season and Zach Putnam is mulling surgery as he battles ulnar neuritis in his right elbow.
“You hate to see a guy like that put in the work,” shortstop Tim Anderson said. “I was in Triple-A with (Davidson) and he worked his butt off. It’s sad to see him go down like that.”