Avisail Garcia close to returning for the White Sox

Jun 28, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Chicago White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia talks with first base coach Daryl Boston while wearing a paper cup stuck to his hat in a prank by teammates during Saturday afternoon
Jun 28, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Chicago White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia talks with first base coach Daryl Boston while wearing a paper cup stuck to his hat in a prank by teammates during Saturday afternoon /
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I wouldn’t go so far as to call this an August miracle but it is a rather remarkable turn of events for a player who once looked to be out for the season. Per CSNChicago.com, White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia, once thought lost for the entire year with a torn labrum, could now return as early as this week.

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Garcia has been on rehab assignment in triple-A and has exceeded everyone’s expectations. White Sox GM Rick Hahn said:

"“His body has held up,” Hahn said. “He has made certain plays in the outfield the last few days that have forced him to let it go a little bit. There’s been no setbacks. We don’t have a magic number or magic performance level in mind that he has to hit, it’s more a matter of day in and day out seeing consistent performance and physically feeling strong. So far it has gone well and hopefully we’re coming to an end of it in several days or a week or so.”"

White Sox manager Robin Ventura took a conservative view of Garcia’s progress:

"“He is getting closer,” Ventura said. “I don’t know if we’re close enough that we’re counting down games if he’s coming back, but you’re wanting him to build up and have enough repetitions that when he comes back he’s not feeling like he’s behind, he’s just playing.”"

Whether Garcia plays this week or next or soon afterward, there’s no question that his recovery has been remarkable, if not flat out miraculous.

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