2 former players recently cut that the Chicago White Sox should consider bringing back

Injuries are ravaging the Chicago White Sox's starting pitching and infield depth.

Pitcher Drew Thorpe has been lost for the season after it was announced he needs Tommy John surgery.

Fellow young hurler Ky Bush was last for the season after needing the same procedure when spring training started. Another top-15 pitching prospect, Mason Adams, was on the cusp of the big leagues and could be lost with the same injury.

Now it appears veteran infielder Josh Rojas is going to start the season the 10-day IL. Veteran Brandon Drury was having a great spring training until he fractured his thumb. The Sox have decided instead of waiting for him to heal, it would be better to move on as he was cut.

That leaves the Sox rotation depth razor thin. The middle infield is a huge question mark on talent with Lenyn Sosa, youngsters Brooks Baldwin and Jacob Amaya plus top 10 prospect Chase Meidroth.

Sosa swung a hot bat last September and has earned a roster spot. However, his defense is autrocias.

Amaya’s glove is solid, but he cannot hit in the big leagues. It is still unknown what Baldwin and Meidroth can do in the Majors.

That is why it makes sense for the Sox to consider bringing back two former players recently cut by the teams they tried to make.

Dane Dunning was not officially cut by the Texas Rangers. He was placed on outright waivers.

That means a team can claim him and only have to take on his $2.66 million salary.

Considering the Sox have been spending around that figure on players this season, it might be worth adding him despite a lackluster 2024 season.

Dunning was a promising young arm the team gave up in a trade to get veteran pitcher Lance Lynn in 2021.

The thinking was while Dunning was showing promise, the emerging Sox needed a veteran top-of-the-rotation pitcher.

Lynn helped the Sox win the 2021 AL Central title and then helped the organization fall apart by being part of the dysfunction that led to the contention window slamming shut abruptly.

Dunning helped the Rangers win the 2023 World Series as a solid middle-of-the-rotation pitcher.

While he was terrible in 2024 finding players who can have a revival is what this team should be doing.

Especially since the rotation depth right now is Jared Schuster, Justin Dunn, and Jake Eder.

The Sox do have young hurler Shane Smith to be the fifth starter, at the low cost of $2.66 million, Dunning can provide some bullpen help and slide into the rotation in case of an injury.

However, Dunning might be cooked and just getting in the way of seeing what youngster Grant Taylor could do this season in a bullpen role.

Nicky Lopez coming back might make sense given he will come a lot cheaper than when the team would have had to pay him in arbitration.

The projected $6 million was a big reason the team said no thanks and waived him in the offseason. Although, no gave him anything close to that in the offseason. He signed a minor-league deal with the Chicago Cubs with a non-roster invite.

He elected free agency shortly after not making the team's trip to Japan to play the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He did field second base well enough last season to get a Gold Glove nomination. While he provides no trade value, at this point he can at least field second and short while providing the occasional hit and walk better than Amaya and Baldwin.

Plus, once Colson Montgomery is ready to take over the everyday shortstop job, you simply let Naperville Nicky move on.

However, going with the youth this team has might be a better option since Lopez has proven he is not going to help this team win much.