White Sox rotation could go from six to four - MLB

Five appears to be an unlucky number for the White Sox. While they’ve recently gone back to a six-man rotation with Zach Stewart up, they’re considering dropping down to a four-man rotation with three off-days coming up in the second half of the month.

“It has been on my mind the last couple of days. I’m not sure,” pitching coach Don Cooper said. “With [Mark] Buehrle pitching as well as he has, you are tempted to say, ‘Let’s run him out there.’

“Again, it is what it is right now. We are going to look into it. Get the hottest guys out there.”

Stewart’s start Friday will likely be his last for awhile regardless, but if the White Sox go to a four-man rotation, then Philip Humber could also be bumped to the pen. Humber, one of the year’s most pleasant surprises, has lost each of his last four starts, giving up 18 runs over 20 1/3 innings in the process. His ERA has climbed from 2.69 to 3.56 during the span, and he’s now just 8-8 for the year.

Humber’s exit would temporarily leave the White Sox with a rotation of Buehrle, Gavin Floyd, John Danks and Jake Peavy.

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needs surgery for a torn ACL after injuring his left knee Thursday fielding a grounder in a spring training game and is expected to miss a significant amount of time.

The Phillies did not say when Hoskins would have the surgery or exactly how long the slugging first baseman might be sidelined.

Hoskins hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs last season for the reigning National League champions.

He was backing up to play a chopper on Thursday when the ball popped out of his glove. Sooner after, he fell to the ground and began clutching his left knee. Teammates gathered around him before he was taken off of the field.

Hoskins, a free agent at the end of the season who turned 30 last week, hit six homers in Philadelphia’s playoff run last season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series.

The injury was another blow for the Phillies, who will be without top pitching prospect Andrew Painter for another few weeks because of a sprained ligament in his right elbow. And slugger Bryce Harper isn’t expected back until around the All-Star break after undergoing Tommy John surgery in November.