The Chicago White Sox have placed first baseman Paul Konerko and reliever Jesse Crain on the disabled list, MLB's roster feed reports.
White Sox place Paul Konerko, Jesse Crain on DL
The White Sox have lost two key players as first baseman Paul Konerko and reliever Jesse Crain both head to the DL.
USA TODAY Sports
South Side Sox: Konerko, Crain to DL; Morel and Purcey recalled
Konerko has been suffering from a back injury that kept him from playing from June 23 until Tuesday, when he went 0-4. The 37-year-old has struggled this season, hitting .249/.314/.368 with seven home runs over 280 plate appearances. He has split time between first base and DH. For the last-place White Sox, Crain is the far bigger loss, however. The 31-year-old veteran has posted an incredible 0.74 ERA over 36 2/3 innings as the White Sox primary setup man, making him an appealing player for teams in need of relief help at the trade deadline this season. A free agent at the end of the season, Crain was likely to be moved. While there is still time for him to return to the mound, this stint on the DL will almost certainly drive his asking price down.
Fans on the South Side will certainly miss Konerko’s veteran presence. However, with the White Sox sitting 14 games below .500 and 10.5 games back in the AL Central, the loss of a valuable trade chip like Crain is a much bigger blow for the club.
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