Four days before the start of the regular season, the left shoulder of Britt Burns was so sore he could not pick up a baseball. While the White Sox had a rotation that was looking as strong as any, four-deep with young arms, Burns was the longest-tenured White Sox starter and a key for the season.
The southpaw eventually rested up enough to take the ball on May 9 start vs. Toronto and make 26 starts. However, Burns and the White Sox were so frustrated with his pitching (first 16 starts: 5-6 record with a 1.