Chicago White Sox pitcher Drew Thorpe shared some concerning news over the weekend at SoxFest Live, revealing that he recently received a cortisone shot for elbow soreness and will begin spring training behind schedule.
According to Scott Merkin of MLB.com, Thorpe experienced a setback this offseason and received the injection on Friday. He hopes to resume playing catch later in the week but is uncertain how much of a delay he’ll face in spring training.
Thorpe underwent season-ending surgery last September to remove bone spurs from his elbow, making this latest issue an unwelcome development. However, he reassured reporters that there’s no major concern.
“I’m hoping that kind of clears it up and we are good to go from here,” Thorpe said during a media session at SoxFest Live at the Ramova Theatre. “Everything structurally in my arm— I got MRIs a couple of weeks ago—everything is clean, everything is good. It’s part of the surgery process, I guess.”
The 24-year-old right-hander was acquired last offseason in the trade that sent Dylan Cease to the San Diego Padres. At the time of his MLB debut last June, he was ranked as a Top-60 prospect by MLB.com.
In nine starts for the White Sox, Thorpe posted a 3-3 record with a 5.48 ERA, striking out 25 batters over 44.1 innings. Though he doesn’t rely on overpowering velocity, he has been viewed as a key piece of the team’s future.
The White Sox are coming off a disastrous 41-121 season, the worst record in the Modern Era. With player development being the organization’s primary focus, any prolonged injury for Thorpe would be a significant setback.
Chicago’s pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Glendale, Arizona, in just under three weeks.
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