Daniel

Webb

Webb was an 18th-round pick of the Blue Jays in 2009 and was signed for $450,000, three times above the recommended slot amount. While he has touched the mid-90s with his fastball, the results haven’t been there to this point, as he holds a 5.11 ERA and 6.2 K/9 rate over 135 2/3 innings in the lower minors. The 22-year-old is obviously a long ways away from the majors.

Webb had a 1.87 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 78/27 K/BB ratio in 62 2/3 innings this summer in the minor leagues. The 24-year-old righty should do well in middle relief.

Our condolences to Daniel and the Webb family. The 24-year-old hurler is in competition with Matt Lindstrom, Nate Jones and Mitchell Boggs for the team’s closer job this spring.

“I don’t feel the urgency to anoint anyone the closer,” Hahn said. “Frankly our scouts and player development people have done a real nice job over the years providing us with options, and I’m confident that’s going to continue.” Most have pegged Jones and his career 9.3 K/9 rate as the early favorite for the role, though Lindstrom has the “closer experience” thing working in his favor. Webb is surely a longshot for the ninth inning given that he only has nine career appearances at the big league level, but the Sox do like his upside.

Cooper was extremely impressed with Lindstrom’s bullpen session on Sunday, noting specifically how well the ball came out of his hand and the life on it. While Jones is the most talented of the bunch, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Lindstrom begin the season with the ninth-inning role to build up his value before flipping him in a trade mid-season.

The hard-throwing 24-year-old acclimated himself well during his brief audition in 2013, posting a 3.18 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 10/4 K/BB ratio over 11 1/3 innings. Nate Jones, Matt Lindstrom and Mitchell Boggs are also being mentioned as candidates to get the ball in the ninth inning.

The club has refused to name a closer following the trade of Addison Reed, which isn’t really a surprise. Matt Lindstrom has some closing experience and the White Sox like the upside of Daniel Webb, but Jones should be the clear favorite to begin the season in the closer role. The 28-year-old has a fastball that hums in the upper 90s and is coming off a season when he struck out 89 over 78 frames.

This was done merely as a procedural move to create a spot on the 40-man roster for the newly-acquired Alfredo Gonzalez. Webb will miss the rest of the 2016 season and most of 2017 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Webb has been on the 15-day disabled list with a right flexor strain since the end of April. He had already been expected to miss a large chunk of time even before it was determined that the 26-year-old right-hander needed Tommy John. He likely won’t be ready to return to the mound until some time in the summer of 2017.

Webb underwent Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery this past June. He’ll be in rehab mode through the first half of the 2017 season and might have to wait to sign with a new team until he can prove his health.