Kelly joins Moncada in Chicago

This afternoon, the White Sox confirmed that Yoán Moncada is back with the club after missing all season with an oblique strain. As an added bonus, reliever Joe Kelly will also join the team beginning tonight vs. Cleveland.

Offsetting Moncada’s return is Jake Burger heading back down to Charlotte so he can continue with regular third base (or second base?) reps, while space is made for Kelly by placing Aaron Bummer on the IL with a right knee strain.

Not that now that we are in May and the rosters have resumed their 26-spot limits, the injured list now returns to 15 days, rather than 10. Under pandemic circumstances in both 2020 and 2021, the IL was reduced to 10 days to allow for more roster flexibility.

Bummer has been struggling significantly with his control this season, betraying what we now know to be an injury to his (right) planting leg. He is counted on for key late-inning circumstances, so pairing his rest and rehab with Kelly’s return to the team should allow for no attrition in the pen, and for Bummer to get as healthy as he needs to contribute better to the club in the latter two-thirds of the season.

Here’s the full, copyedited release from the White Sox:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, May 9, 2022

WHITE SOX ANNOUNCE FOUR ROSTER MOVES

CHICAGO — Prior to tonight’s series opener vs. Cleveland, the Chicago White Sox made the following four roster moves:

1. Returned RHP Joe Kelly and INF Yoán Moncada from their injury rehabilitation assignments at Triple-A Charlotte and reinstated them from the 10-day injured list;

2. Placed LHP Aaron Bummer on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 7) with a right knee strain;

3. Optioned INF Jake Burger to Charlotte.

Kelly, 33, was placed on the injured list on April 7 (retroactive to April 4) to continue his recovery from a right biceps nerve injury. He made three scoreless and hitless appearances with Charlotte, striking out three batters over three innings.

Kelly, who was signed as a free agent on March 14, went 2-0 with a 2.86 ERA, 10 holds, 50 strikeouts, a .174 opponents average and 0.98 WHIP over 48 relief appearances with the Dodgers in 2021.

Moncada, 26, was placed on the injured list on April 7 (retroactive to April 4) with a right oblique strain. He went 7-for-22 (.318) with two home runs, five RBIs and five runs in six games with the Knights.

Moncada ranked third in the American League with a .375-on-base percentage and eighth with 84 walks in 2021.

Bummer, 28, is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA, 15 strikeouts and seven holds over 12 appearances this season. His seven holds are tied with Kendall Graveman for the team lead.

Burger, 26, is batting .239/.276/.352 with two home runs and seven RBIs over 21 games with the White Sox this season.