White Sox: Zack Burdi May Require Tommy John Surgery
By Matt Manetti
Zack Burdi will go for a second opinion but may have a torn ulnar collateral ligament. The White Sox righty would require Tommy John surgery there is a tear.
The Chicago White Sox got some bad news on Friday. A day after finding out Nate Jones would require season-ending surgery, the team learned No. 10 prospect Zack Burdi may have a torn UCL. He is going for a second opinion but it’s looking like he will need Tommy John surgery. Dan Hayes tweeted the news.
Burdi, 22, was seen as someone who could potentially make the big leagues this season. However, his numbers have been shaky at Triple-A Charlotte. In 33.1 innings, he is 0-4 with a 4.05 ERA and seven saves. Opponents are hitting .231 against him, but he does have 51 strikeouts. Undergoing the procedure this season, if necessary, would likely sideline him for the duration of 2018.
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The only real positive in this scenario is the White Sox are not ready to contend. 2019 seems to be the year all their talent will be major-league ready. So you can just add Burdi to the list. Still, he could be coming off a major surgery. There’s no telling if he can live up to the expectations he set for himself early in his career.
He is young pitcher. And that should play to his advantage. Younger players have a better chance at coming back stronger after the procedure.
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Stephen Strasburg underwent Tommy John early in his career. But he has still been a very effective pitcher for the Nationals. So it definitely can be done.