White Sox place Philip Humber on disabled list, purchase contract of Brian Bruney from Class AAA Charlotte and designate Kosuke Fukudome for assignment

CHICAGO - Prior to tonight's game vs. Milwaukee, the Chicago White Sox placed right-handed pitcher Philip Humber on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to June 17) with a right elbow flexor strain and purchased the contract of right-hander Brian Bruney from Class AAA Charlotte.

The White Sox also returned Kosuke Fukudome from his injury rehabilitation assignment at Charlotte, reinstated the outfielder from the 15-day disabled list and designated him for assignment.

Bruney, 30, is 1-3 with a 1.85 ERA (7 ER/34.0 IP), 11 saves and 36 strikeouts in 23 games (three starts) with Charlotte in 2012.  The 6-foot-3, 235-pounder is tied for fourth in the International League in saves and limited opponents to a .175 (21-120) average, including a .116 (8-69) mark by right-handers.  He threw 5.0 IP in his last outing, a start on June 18 vs. Columbus, allowing one run on four hits.

Bruney has pitched in 272 games (one start) over parts of eight major-league seasons with Arizona (2004-05), the New York Yankees (2006-09), Washington (2009-10) and the White Sox (2011), going 18-12 with a 4.70 ERA (135 ER/258.2 IP) and 250 strikeouts.  He went 1-0 with a 6.86 ERA (15 ER/19.2 IP) in 23 relief appearances with the Sox last season and was signed by the club to a minor-league contract on November 29, 2011.

Humber, 29, is 3-4 with a 6.01 ERA (45 ER/67.1 IP) and 63 strikeouts in 12 starts this season.

Fukudome, 35, has been on the disabled list since June 7 (retroactive to June 4) with a strained right oblique.  He hit .171 (7-41) with no home runs and four RBI in 24 games for the Sox this season after signing as a free agent on February 14, 2012.

With the moves, the White Sox 40-man roster is at 38.