The White Sox begin June with a three-game homestand against the Milwaukee Brewers, who just happen to be at the top of the NL Central and the NL as a whole.
Even though the White Sox are nowhere near the Brewers in the standings, the team will feel like they are at the top of the MLB as Danny Farquhar makes his return to Guaranteed Rate Field.
He will not be in the bullpen or on the lineup card.
Farquhar on the mound on Friday
But, he will throw the first pitch of the game on Friday. This moment will be one of the most memorable of the 2018 season.
According to an article on SI.com, Farquhar will be joined by his family and the medical team from Rush University Medical Center. Author Chris Chavez wrote:
"“Doctors are optimistic that Farquhar will be able to pitch again but he is not expected to return for the 2018 season.”"
On April 20, Farquhar collapsed in the dugout after a brain hemorrhage. He has been on the disabled list since. His bullpen teammates placed his jersey in the dugout as support for the relief pitcher.
Update on the relief pitcher
Earlier on Thursday, Farquhar appeared on NBC 5 with his wife. This appearance gave fans a glimpse at the scar across the left side of his scalp, driving home the severity of the aneurysm that took him out of the game. He reported spending 17 nights in the hospital after he was admitted on April 20.
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What to expect from the Brew Crew
Along with Farquhar’s first time throwing a baseball since April 20, White Sox fans will get their first glimpse of the 2018 Brew Crew. Chase Anderson is expected to toe the rubber versus Hector Santiago. Anderson has a 4.47 ERA and Santiago has a 4.87 ERA. The Sox could have fun against Anderson as he has a penchant for giving up home runs.
But, the Brewers like to hit, too. It shows in their record as they closed out May with a 36-21 record. Sixteen Brewers have hit at least one home run this season. The home run leaders are Travis Shaw and Jesus Aguilar. Fourteen Sox have home runs. Interestingly, only two Brewers have hit triples. But, seven Sox have hit triples and Yolmer Sanchez leads the team with six.
Even though the Brewers have the best record in the NL, they are not at the top in most hitting stats. They are 14th in hits, 18th in doubles, 6th in home runs, and 12th in RBIs. Of course, the Sox are lower on the list in all of those categories.
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Hopefully, the Sox can add a few wins in this short three-game homestand before they take off for a trip to St. Louis and then Minneapolis.