USA – The White Sox have been fending off panic talk over the past two weeks, but the latest blow to Carlos Quentin will make such talk unavoidable.

The White Sox announced Friday that Quentin fractured his right wrist and will undergo surgery Monday morning to have a screw inserted. He will be re-evaluated in two or three weeks, putting the rest of his 2008 regular season in jeopardy.

Now the White Sox can only hope he’s available for the postseason, should the White Sox stave off the Minnesota Twins down the stretch.

Quentin suffered the injury during last Monday’s game in Cleveland. He returned to Chicago on Wednesday to be treated and evaluated.

The decision to insert the screw was made Thursday night, and the surgery will be performed at Rush University Medical Center by team hand and wrist specialists, Dr. Mark Cohen and Dr. John Fernandez, and White Sox lead orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Charles Bush-Joseph, of Midwest Orthopedics at Rush University.

Quentin was batting .288 with an American League leading 36 home runs. He also ranked in the top five in slugging percentage (.571), OPS (.965) and RBIs (100). He was considered one of the frontrunners for the AL Most Valuable Player award.

Acquired from Arizona in the offseason for Minor League first base prospect Chris Carter, Quentin was in the midst of a breakout season before the injury and was selected to his first All-Star Game in July.

He had struggled in his two seasons as a member of the Diamondbacks and had been bothered by injuries. He had surgery this past offseason to repair a tear in his left labrum and rotator cuff.

When Quentin joined the team for Spring Training, he was not assured playing time by White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, nor was he even guaranteed a spot on the roster. In fact, Quentin was not even in the Opening Day lineup. He was batting seventh when he started to see regular playing time and wasn’t moved up to the No. 3 spot in the lineup until mid-May.

The White Sox have options to replace Quentin in left with either Ken Griffey Jr. or Nick Swisher. Dewayne Wise was also reinstated from the 15-day disabled list Friday. He might also shoulder some of the load in left.

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