Peavy Wins AL Pitcher of the Month

By Benjy Lipsman in News on May 3, 2012 3:20PM

White Sox starting pitcher Jake Peavy won the AL Pitcher of the Month award for April. Peavy compiled a 3-1 record and a 1.67 ERA while striking out 33 in 37 innings pitched during the first month of the season and is finally pitching like the Sox had hoped he would when acquired in 2009. He also pitched back-to-back complete games during the month.

The 1.67 ERA was the third-best month of the former Cy Young winner's career, with both of his better efforts coming during his award-winning 2007 campaign. He posted ERAs of 0.79 ERA in May and 1.36 in August on his way to the 2007 NL Cy Young while with the San Diego Padres.

Since joining the Sox, however, Peavy has spent much of his time on the disabled list or working his way back from various injuries. On the DL when the Sox traded for him, Peavy pitched in just three games for the South Siders at the end of the '09 season. His 2010 campaign was cut short when he suffered a detachment of the latissimus dorsi muscle in his back. Peavy began 2011 on the DL as he continued to rehab his back, then returned to the DL with a groin injury. Over the previous two seasons, Peavy has made 36 starts and pitched 218 innings, while compiling a 14-13 record and ERA of 4.77—the equivalent of one mediocre season—while pulling in more than $30 million.

If Peavy can keep hurling like he has been and can remain injury free, then perhaps the White Sox will finally get a pitcher who deserves to be the team's highest paid player. And that could make the White Sox a lot more dangerous in the AL Central than most expected.