The White Sox bullpen has been one of the team’s bright spots so far in 2026. Despite some inconsistency early in the year, a solid core of late-inning arms have emerged with the production from Grant Taylor, Sean Newcomb, and Bryan Hudson. Rookie Hagen Smith has looked the part of a late-inning reliever early in his career as well, and the success of the group has helped compensate for a starting rotation that often struggles to go deep into games. It hasn’t been the ideal season for everyone though, and right-hander Jordan Leasure was just dealt another tough blow during a season that already hasn’t gone how he’s planned.
RHP Jordan Leasure underwent successful surgery on August 17 to repair a UCL tear in his right elbow. The surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas. Leasure is expected to be ready for Spring Training 2028. Per the team.
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) August 31, 2026
Leasure, 28, was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers and came to the White Sox in the 2023 deadline deal that sent Lance Lynn to LA. Unlike some pitchers, who begin as starters before moving to the bullpen later, Leasure was a reliever from the beginning of his career. He impressed scouts with his stuff but often struggled with his control in the minor leagues. Still, the White Sox saw enough potential to add him and believed he could be a key part of their big league bullpen moving forward.
Jordan Leasure has flashed big league talent despite inconsistency
After starting in Charlotte, Leasure made his big league debut with the White Sox in 2024 and struggled like many others on that team. He posted a 6.32 ERA in 31.1 innings at the major league level and a 5.59 mark in 11 minor league games. Leasure flashed the stuff that the White Sox saw when they acquired him, but he left far too many pitches over the plate and got hit around quite a bit. He was given a second chance during the 2025 season and took advantage of it, making 68 appearances and posting a 3.92 ERA during that span. Leasure was particularly good at the end of the season, leading many to believe he’d figured things out and would be a big part of the team’s late-inning plans for 2026.
Unfortunately, 2026 was a step back for Leasure even before the latest injury development. Leasure posted a 6.27 ERA and surrendered six home runs in 18.2 innings before being placed on the injured list on May 29th. He was initially diagnosed with a flexor strain and the White Sox hoped he’d return at some point this season, but later underwent Tommy John surgery and will now miss the remainder of 2026 and all of 2027.
Leasure will be 29 on Opening Day in 2028, so he’s no longer the young upside pitcher the White Sox hoped they were getting. Still, many pitchers return just as good if not better than they were before Tommy John surgery, so the White Sox will hope to get Leasure back to his 2025 form upon his return. In the meantime, they’ll need to look elsewhere to find the late inning stability they were hoping to get from Leasure in 2026.
With arms like Grant Taylor, Sean Newcomb, Bryan Hudson, and Jordan Hicks in the bullpen and effective, White Sox fans can feel confident that late leads are, for the most part, in good hands.
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