White Sox followers not too long ago obtained some dangerous information relating to certainly one of their most promising younger gamers, as right-hander Drew Thorpe advised reporters (together with Scott Merkin of MLB.com) that he obtained a cortisone shot yesterday amid a setback in his restoration from the surgical procedure he underwent to bone spur from his proper elbow again in September.
Thorpe was beforehand anticipated to be prepared for Spring Coaching, however will probably be behind to start out camp. With that being mentioned, nonetheless, the right-hander hopes to start out enjoying catch subsequent week and each Thorpe in addition to GM Chris Getz expressed optimism in regards to the scenario. Thorpe famous that he underwent an MRI earlier this month and that “all the pieces got here again clear,” whereas Getz indicated that the membership is “assured” that Thorpe’s setback will show to be a minor one and that he’ll be prepared for large league motion in April.
Whereas Thorpe’s outlook seems to be nearly as good as can moderately be anticipated for a pitcher coping with a setback whereas rehabbing elbow surgical procedure, the information is nonetheless a worrying signal for a White Sox membership nonetheless reeling from its record-setting 121-loss marketing campaign in 2024. As one of many solely actively rebuilding golf equipment in baseball in the intervening time, Chicago has little purpose for optimism headed into the 2025 season. The membership has added veteran items reminiscent of Josh Rojas, Mike Tauchman, and Martin Perez to the combination forward of the approaching marketing campaign however the focus stays completely on a core of younger, up-and-coming gamers who the Sox are hoping will be capable to flip issues round for them sooner or later.
Because the centerpiece of final 12 months’s Dylan Stop commerce, Thorpe is a big a part of that core. The best-hander was typically considered a top-50 prospect within the sport final winter when he was a part of back-to-back blockbuster trades when the Yankees shipped him to San Diego as a part of the Juan Soto deal earlier than the Padres promptly flipped him to Chicago so as to purchase Stop. Drafted by New York within the second spherical of the 2022 draft and having solely reached the Double-A stage in 2023, Thorpe was a quick riser who made his solution to the majors in June of final 12 months. The best-hander pitched pretty effectively in his first seven begins as an enormous leaguer, posting a 3.03 ERA and 4.67 FIP in 38 2/3 innings of labor, however was shelled for 14 runs in simply 5 2/3 frames over his subsequent two begins earlier than happening the injured record with a flexor pressure and finally present process surgical procedure.
In 2025, Thorpe appeared ticketed for an Opening Day rotation job however now must deal with rehabbing for at the very least the beginning of the season earlier than he can try to construct on his up-and-down debut season. Final 12 months, the righty flashed his appreciable expertise but additionally steadily struggled along with his command, strolling 11.1% of batters confronted and surrendering eight homers in simply 44 1/3 innings of labor. Happily for Thorpe, there needs to be loads of room within the membership’s rotation as soon as he’s wholesome sufficient to return to the mound. Perez, Bryse Wilson and Jonathan Cannon seem locked into rotation jobs to start out the 12 months, whereas the final two spots determine to go to some mixture of Sean Burke, Davis Martin, Nick Nastrini, and Ky Bush.
