Farquhar expected to throw out 1st pitch Friday

CHICAGO -- The incredible recovery of Danny Farquhar will take another uplifting step forward on June 1, when the White Sox reliever is set to throw out a ceremonial first pitch before the club's Friday night game against the Brewers at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Farquhar, 31, sutained a brain hemorrhage caused by a ruptured aneurysm after he pitched on April 20 against the Astros, and he then underwent surgery. Farquhar has visited the White Sox clubhouse twice since leaving RUSH University Medical Center, and he was cleared by his doctors to throw the first pitch.
"It just makes me smile," White Sox starting pitcher James Shields said. "He's just such a great dude. We are so happy everything is going smooth with him."
"That's pretty cool actually that we all get to see him," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "He looks really good, and the fact that he's gonna be able to do that is truly a testament to all the people that took care of him, his fortitude, his willingness to fight through something which was a very difficult thing to fight through."
Farquhar's wife, Lexie, and his three children -- Madison, Landon and Liam -- will join Farquhar, as White Sox fans and the team welcome him back to the ballpark. The RUSH team, including doctors, nurses and staff who helped care for Farquhar during his recovery, will also be in attendance for the first pitch.

In celebration of Farquhar's recovery and the Farquhar family, Chicago White Sox Charities will donate proceeds from all fundraising efforts that evening, including the Sox Split raffle, game auction and scoreboard message purchases, to the Joe Niekro Foundation, an organization committed to supporting patients and families, research, treatment and awareness of brain aneurysms. The organization was founded by Natalie Niekro, the daughter of right-handed pitcher Joe Niekro, who spent 21 seasons in Major League Baseball and passed away suddenly in 2006 as a result of a brain aneurysm.
Fans at home can support the fundraising effort by purchasing Sox Split raffle tickets online at whitesox.com/soxsplit.
Farquhar has been recovering at home in Chicago since his release from RUSH on May 7. Dr. Demetrius Lopes, Farquhar's neurosurgeon, expects Farquhar to be able to pitch again in the future, but he will not medically release Farquhar to pitch in a competitive game during the 2018 season, in order to allow the righty to fully recover from the hemorrhage.
"It's something you never want to see in baseball, let alone to one of your teammates," Shields said. "To be able to have him persevere through what he's gone through and be so positive. Really, he's so positive about everything and upbeat. It's going to be fun to watch."
"He's driving by himself and doing everything on his own, which is nice," White Sox starting pitcher Héctor Santiago said. "It will be fun to see him out there with his family and be back on the field where the fans can cheer him on. I'm pretty sure it will be pretty loud when he gets ready to throw that first pitch."