The left-hander Shane Drohan has been activated off the 60-day disabled list and designated for assignment, according to a series of roster changes that the White Sox announced on Sunday. The team chose Sammy Peralta, a left-hander, in a different move. To create space on the active roster, the team optioned right-hander Nick Nastrini. 39 players make up Chicago’s 40-man roster.
After being chosen from the Red Sox in the Rule 5 draft, Drohan, 25, joined the White Sox organization over the winter. Drohan will be up for waivers in one week, and if Chicago chooses not to waive him, it will have to make Boston an offer of $50,000 to bring him back. Should he sign a trade or be placed on waivers by a new team, Drohan’s responsibilities under Rule 5 will apply to the new club. Drohan had shoulder surgery in February, and on May 10, he started his rehabilitation program. Drohan’s rehab assignment had a 30-day window that concluded on Sunday, thus in order to comply with Rule 5 regulations, he had to be activated from the Illinois League and either designated for assignment or added to Chicago’s active roster.
It’s clear that the White Sox decided to cut ties with Drohan, and considering his difficulties during his rehab assignment, it makes sense. Despite having an outstanding 32.6% strikeout rate, Drohan labored to an 8.68 ERA in 9 1/3 innings of work over 10 appearances scattered across three minor league levels. His performance declined after leaving complex ball, as in seven outings divided between High-A and Triple-A, he gave up a 9.53 ERA while maintaining the same 20.7% strikeout and walk rates. It’s hard to defend giving an active roster position to a player who is having that much trouble versus minor league batters, even for a 17-48 team like Chicago.
After being placed back on the roster by the White Sox after being acquired off waivers by Seattle, he was designated for the third time in two months to create space on the 40-man roster for righty Jake Woodford. In late May, Peralta was outright sent to the minors after clearing waivers, but he was back on the roster Wednesday after spending less than two weeks there. After a turbulent start to the season, Peralta finds himself in a position he is accustomed to: fill-in relief pitcher with left-handed ability. The left-hander had severe struggles while in the Mariners organization, but he has worked 3 2/3 clean innings for the White Sox in Triple-A this season. As he joins fellow lefties Tanner Banks, Jared Shuster, and Tim Hill in the club’s bullpen, he will look to carry that success into the majors.
Regarding Nastrini, after Chicago traded right-handers Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly to the Dodgers last summer, the right-hander was a crucial part of the return. This season, Nastrini has made six starts in the major leagues, but he has typically had a terrible time, with an 8.39 ERA and 7.92 FIP in just 24 2/3 innings of work. He walked five of the 19 players he faced last night, despite the fact that he limited the Red Sox to just one run across 4 1/3 innings. The 24-year-old still needs more time in the minors before he can make a more sustained contribution to the south side, as the Sox have clearly seen from his major league performance.