CHICAGO — Minnesota Twins players Logan Morrison and Jake Odorizzi weren’t sure what to expect when they visited former teammate and current Chicago White Sox reliever Danny Farquhar at the hospital Friday.
Considering Farquhar is two weeks removed from a ruptured aneurysm and recovering from brain surgery, they were encouraged by what they saw.
“I was really, really blown away, impressed, surprised by how well he’s doing,” Morrison said. “Walking around, talking, doing great.”
The visit at Rush University Medical Center lasted several hours. Farquhar was in good spirits and even gave his friends some grief about Chicago’s 6-5 win over Minnesota on Thursday.
Odorizzi said Farquhar stood from a couch and hugged him when he entered the room.
“Everything out of that situation couldn’t have unfolded better from what we saw today,” Odorizzi said. “It was the normal Farquhar with just a scar on his head. You take the scar away, he’s the same guy he’s always been, so pretty miraculous turnaround considering it’s been two weeks.”
Both players said Farquhar is eager to return and wasn’t thrilled the White Sox transferred him to the 60-day disabled list last week.
Morrison said he told Farquhar to “take the summer and relax,” but “that ain’t him.”
“He loves to play the game,” Morrison said. “He loves to pitch. If he’s able to, he’ll be the guy who does it for sure. Nothing’s going to stop him from doing that, so I think if he’s able to get off the mound and throw again it would be awesome for him to break my bat for sure and get me out.”
The trio played together in Tampa Bay from 2016 until Farquhar got traded to Chicago last July. Farquhar and Morrison were also teammates in Seattle from 2014-15.
A married father of three, Farquhar collapsed in the dugout with a brain hemorrhage caused by a ruptured aneurysm during a home game against Houston on April 20. He had surgery the following day.
“He’s in really good hands, happy for the way things are going,” Morrison said. “Obviously it’s a terrible thing to happen. But for him, (wife) Lexie and his kids, it’s pretty amazing to see where he’s at right now and I think they’re really encouraged by it.”
