When Avisail Garcia underwent surgery in mid-April to repair a torn labrum and an avulsion fracture in his left shoulder, it was thought that he would be lost for the rest of the season. However, thanks to a quicker-than-expected recovery, the White Sox have activated him from the disabled list for tonight’s game against the Blue Jays.
Acquired from the Tigers last July in the three-team Jake Peavy trade, Garcia began this season as the starting right fielder for the White Sox and was hitting .267 (8-for-30) with two home runs and four RBI in eight games before he injured his shoulder while attempting to make a diving catch on April 8. Full recovery from surgery was expected to take six months, but he managed to begin a minor league rehab assignment earlier this month and hit .340 (17-for-50) with one home run and three doubles over 13 games with Triple-A Charlotte. And now he’s back.
Earlier this week Rick Hahn said getting Avisail Garcia back is akin to found money. They didn't expect this. #WhiteSox
— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) August 16, 2014
Garcia is just 23 years old and is viewed as an important part of the future for the White Sox, so he’ll now be able to go into the offseason with some peace of mind. Even if he struggles, that’s a valuable thing.