From Chicago Sun-Times · · 3m
Noah Schultz gets one more shot
The White Sox put their former top pitching prospect back on the roster with 12 games left, and nobody knows what his role is yet.
In brief
The White Sox put their former top pitching prospect back on the roster with 12 games left, and nobody knows what his role is yet. Schultz is back in the majors on the strength of a hot Triple-A stretch, but short outings and a low strikeout count mean the Sox will use him carefully, not conventionally. Originally…
A promise finally kept
The White Sox spent the season saying rookie lefty Noah Schultz would pitch a role down the stretch. With the calendar running out, they finally made room for him.
Schultz up, Urquidy out
The Sox recalled the 23-year-old Schultz on Tuesday and designated Jose Urquidy for assignment as the corresponding move.
Fresh arm, undefined job
Neither pitcher has thrown in the past week, so Schultz arrives rested. What he will actually be asked to do has not been decided.
The outing that went sideways
His last big league appearance came Aug. 7 against Cleveland. Manager Will Venable had to pull him with one out in the first because he did not realize he was making the inning's second mound visit.
An ERA of 6.06
The two runs Schultz gave up that night pushed his major league ERA to 6.06 for the season. Then he went back to Triple-A.
Then he got hot
Over his last five Triple-A outings, Schultz has run a 1.66 ERA. That stretch is the case for bringing him back.
Read the fine print
None of those five outings went longer than five innings or 70 pitches. Short, controlled work is not the same as proving he can start.
“none of those appearances were longer than five innings, nor 70 pitches”
Only 10 strikeouts
In 21 2/3 Triple-A innings, Schultz struck out just 10 batters. His stuff had already looked diminished late in his last Chicago stint.
Two times through, max
This late in the year, the Sox probably are not asking Schultz or anyone else to face a lineup more than twice.
Getz has other pathways
The general manager set a low bar for his starters and made clear the bullpen can cover the rest of the game.
“But if they don't, we've got other pathways to get to the finish line.”
Seven arms, one blurry plan
Seven pitchers on the active roster have worked mostly as starters or bulk guys this year. The staff is preaching flexibility, so Schultz could be used in a non-traditional spot.
Sandlin's new weapons
Fellow rookie David Sandlin started using his sweeper to change eye levels on lefties and mixed in a cutter to get hitters off his fastball. On Sunday he retired the first 16 batters he faced.
Venable wants him around
The Sox are mapping the rotation series by series, but Venable committed to giving Sandlin another real shot in the final 12 games.
“He was as effective as anyone we've seen here in a little while.”
The headline
Schultz is back in the majors on the strength of a hot Triple-A stretch, but short outings and a low strikeout count mean the Sox will use him carefully, not conventionally.
