Freddy

Garcia

Garcia told reporters he felt well enough to return to the White Sox rotation this weekend after missing two starts due to a tight right forearm muscle.

“He’s just a little tight,” said manager Ozzie Guillen. “He’s better today. As a matter of fact, it’s a lot better today than it was yesterday.”

Jason Grilli will pitch on short rest Tuesday for Chicago, as the Sox appear to have abandonded their four man rotation. Garcia missed his last start with tightness in his forearm, but he does not feel it will bother him on Wednesday.

The right-hander, who has been receiving treatments the past few days on his forearm, feels much better. The White Sox are hopeful that Garica will be able to make a start this weekend against his former team, the Mariners, provided all goes well this afternoon.

Since the Mariners could probably build a decent case against Garcia in arbitration, they’re not going to set him free and get nothing in return. The White Sox, Red Sox, Phillies and Yankees have all displayed interest in trading for him, so the issue could be decided prior to arbitration.

The White Sox could try to interest Seattle in Magglio Ordonez or Carlos Lee. It’s believed that the Mariners have already talked with a few teams about Garcia. The Red Sox, Yankees and Phillies are three of the possibilities. The Yankees probably aren’t a match, but the Red Sox have had interest in the past. They might be willing to swap Johnny Damon or Trot Nixon for him.

This is a rather surprising turn of events. Garcia still could be non-tendered today, but it now appears more likely that the Mariners will keep him, possibly in order to deal him in the future.

Seattle isn’t going to go to arbitration with Garcia, and it appears that the team is having a tough time trading him because everyone expects him to be non-tendered. Interestingly, Garcia’s agent revealed yesterday that the right-hander spent last season pitching with two burst eardrums. “Is that why he was hot in one month and struggled in another? I don’t know,” agent Peter Greenberg said. “But I’ve got to believe it didn’t help.”

The Mariners may offer him to the Padres for Phil Nevin first, but if they don’t do that or they just trade him for a prospect, they could have the money to sign Miguel Tejada. If Garcia departs, Rafael Soriano would move into the rotation.

It shouldn’t take much to acquire Garcia, since he could be non-tendered if he isn’t traded. Reports indicate that the Padres aren’t at all interested in a Garcia-for-Phil Nevin swap, but Garcia could have suitors in Baltimore and St. Louis. Also, the Astros would happily take him in exchange for Richard Hidalgo.