Encouraging White Sox injury update provides light at end of tunnel for 3 Tommy John rehabs

For a time this season, it felt like the White Sox were barely patching together a starting rotation, and the depth was dealt another blow seemingly every week. Over the past few weeks, however, the luck has started to shift. Right-handers Tanner McDougal and Shane Smith had rehab appearances last week in Winston-Salem, and it appears a handful of other injured arms aren’t too far behind. Drew Thorpe, Ky Bush, and Prelander Berroa, who all suffered elbow injuries that required Tommy John surgery during 2025 spring training, could be nearing a return to game action. 

Three more injured White Sox arms could soon provide reinforcements

Let’s start with Drew Thorpe, who has the highest upside of the bunch. The White Sox added Thorpe to the organization in the deal that sent Dylan Cease to the Padres in 2024, and he immediately dominated in the minor leagues. In 11 starts with Double-A Birmingham in 2024, Thorpe posted a 1.35 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 60 innings. The White Sox elected to bring him straight to the majors from Birmingham, and he made nine big league starts before being shut down with an elbow injury that ultimately led to Tommy John surgery. Thorpe’s 5.48 ERA in those nine outings was unremarkable, but five of his outings were quality starts, and his last two blow-up outings may have been injury related. 

Thorpe encountered a minor setback this spring, but returned to the mound for his rehab. He underwent an appendectomy earlier this season that has delayed his return, but he could be on the verge of making rehab outings. It remains a possibility that Thorpe could pitch in the big leagues before the end of 2026, and he’s certain to be in the mix for the 2027 rotation. 

Lefty Ky Bush was acquired from the Angels in the deal that also brought Edgar Quero to the White Sox in 2023. After posting a very solid 3.30 ERA in 20 minor league outings, the White Sox promoted Bush for his big league debut in August of 2024. Bush posted a 5.60 ERA over four starts, and he struggled to find the plate, allowing 16 walks in just 17.2 innings over that span. Bush underwent Tommy John surgery in February of 2025, missing the entire 2025 season. Bush suffered a lat strain during his rehab this year, delaying his progress, but is now healthy and has returned to the mound. He’s looking to position himself as another rotation option for the White Sox moving forward. 

Prelander Berroa is the name here with the most immediate impact for the White Sox. The right-handed flamethrower posted a 3.32 ERA in 17 relief appearances in 2024 and looked like a strong candidate to move into a higher leverage role in 2025 before his injury. Berroa attempted a return to the mound earlier this season, but left his rehab outing after just one hitter and was shut down again. It appears he’s now ready to give it another go. As a reliever, he won’t need as mich time to stretch out as some starters rehabbing, so his timeline for big league readiness could be shorter. Berroa has the arsenal of a late-inning reliever and could provide the White Sox bullpen with some much-needed reinforcements for the home stretch.

If the rehab for Thorpe, Bush, and Berroa continues to go well, the White Sox could soon find themselves with an abundance of depth options, and that's a great problem to have.

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