The White Sox recalled right-hander Erik Johnson from AAA Charlotte on Tuesday, a day after Carlos Rodon’s short outing against the Los Angeles Angels taxed the bullpen and prompted the club to bring up an extra pitcher.
Outfielder J.B. Shuck was optioned to Charlotte after Monday’s game, in which Rodon failed to finish the first inning. Manager Robin Ventura described the Shuck send down as “brutal,” knowing Rodon’s uncharacteristic bad outing prompted it.
Johnson, a starting pitcher, is 0-1 with a 4.22 ERA (five earned runs over 11 2/3 innings) and 12 strikeouts for the Knights. He went 3-1 with a 3.34 ERA and 30 strikeouts in six starts with the Sox late last season but had a rough spring, following an uneven performance pattern.
“He’s going to have to work out of the bullpen and he’s ready to go,” Ventura said. “He’s there for a security blanket of eating innings. After yesterday’s game you need innings.”
The Sox will stay with 13 pitchers probably through the homestand, which ends Sunday against the Texas Rangers. Johnson owns a 7-4 record and 4.17 ERA over parts of three major-league seasons. He was Most Valuable Pitcher in the International League last season, when he went 11-8 record with a 2.37 ERA.
A former second-round draft pick, the Sox projected Johnson as a rotation piece — and they potentially will need one down the road if left-hander John Danks doesn’t show more in the final year of his contract — but he’ll need to show more with consistency to be there.
“I felt like I was still getting my feet under me [during camp],” Johnson said. “After getting sent down and taking that down to the back field, I felt like I really came into my own and really stepped it up. I am where I need to be.”
Day in and day out
The extra bullpen arm was a no-brainer considering the Sox are in a stretch of 19 consecutive games without a day off. They had one scheduled off day in April (the day after the Minnesota Twins’ home opener), tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for fewest in the majors. The New York Mets have six off days and the Kansas City Royals have five.
The Sox bullpen led the major leagues with a 1.72 ERA going into Tuesday’s game.
This and that
Todd Frazier took early extra batting practice Tuesday with hitting coach Todd Steverson looking on.
“We need it,’’ Ventura said.
“You like it. If you feel like you need it you should come out here and take it. Sometimes you do it when it doesn’t mean anything and it becomes a waste. But if you feel like you need it to get yourself mentally ready for that day, you do it.’’
*Wednesday afternoon starter Chris Sale (3-0, 2.35) is 4-0 with a 1.64 ERA and a .158 opponents average in seven career games (five starts) against the Angels. Sale did not win his fourth game until May 28 last season.
